Nina Roket

Practice Areas

• Real Estate Law

• Office Leasing

• Retail Leasing

• Conveyancing and Property Financing

• Real Estate Transfers

• Ground Leases

• Loan Restructuring & Distressed Real Estate

• Real Estate Joint Ventures

Career

A woman of influence and nationally recognized commercial real estate lawyer, Nina Roket crafts industry-leading leasing, property transfer, and finance transactions for well-known properties, their owners, developers, investors and tenants. She co-chairs Olshan’s Real Estate Law Practice and chairs the firm’s Commercial Leasing Practice.

Nina advises clients in sophisticated commercial real estate deals, including leasing of major real estate projects, and property acquisitions, sales, financings, and development, across the nation.

She acts as landlord’s counsel at numerous office buildings in Midtown and Downtown New York City and represents tenants across industries from new and emerging companies to well-established brands. Fashion companies, hedge funds, sports and entertainment companies, technology companies, medical institutions, startups and finance companies all seek her counsel in leasing headquarters space. She represents both landlords and tenants in flexible workspace leases, management agreements, and structured revenue-sharing deals. She also represents and advises owners, tenants, and borrowers in lease and loan-restructurings.

In the retail arena, Nina manages complex leasing projects for numerous developers and owners of significant, high-profile retail sites across the U.S., including in New York, Miami Beach, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, and Atlantic City. She also represents owners and food and restaurant operators in food and beverage and restaurant leases.

Nina negotiates hotel acquisitions, sales, finance deals, and leases.

In addition, Nina represents both owners and nonprofit organizations in connection with the creation of leasehold condominiums and long-term leases.

From the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets corporate headquarters lease to real estate developer David Edelstein’s lease and collaboration with renowned restaurateurs Stephen Starr and Keith McNally, which brought New York City Meatpacking District hotspot Pastis to the trendy Wynwood arts area in Miami, and Foot Locker’s flagship megastore lease deal, which won 2016 “Retail Deal of the Year” recognition from The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), Nina brings exceptional skill in negotiating and closing large-scale, complex commercial property deals across the nation.

Nina knows the markets and, as a skilled and effective negotiator, she knows what’s important to secure. She offers practical guidance and alternative solutions based on her clients’ business needs and objectives. She understands the various parties’ perspectives and sticking points in structuring and negotiating leases, purchases and sales of commercial real estate. With that knowledge, she finds creative and effective solutions that keep tempers in check and get deals done when they should.

In addition to maintaining an active law practice, Nina is a guiding force at the firm serving as Olshan’s co-managing partner, chair of the firm’s Hiring Committee, and founder and chair of the firm’s Women’s Committee.

Professional Memberships

• WX New York Women Executives in Real Estate

• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

• Urban Land Institute (ULI) - Mentor Program

• Board member, Sarcoma Foundation of America

Personal

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law, 2021-2023.

• Named to the “Notable Diverse Leaders in Law” by Crain’s New York Business, 2022.

• Named to the “Notable Women in Law” list by Crain’s New York Business, 2018-2020 and 2022.

• Named to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list annually since 2014.

• Honored as a Leading Lady at the Third Annual Mann Charitable Foundation Event in May 2019.

• Acknowledged as a leading player in the New York real estate market by:

- Real Estate Forum, “Women of Influence,” 2019;

- Real Estate Forum, “Women of Influence – Hall of Fame,” 2018;

- “The Most Significant Retail Deal of the Year” awarded by The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) to Foot Locker’s flagship megastore at 8 Times Square, 2016(represented building owner);

- Real Estate Weekly, “Real Estate Weekly Leading Ladies Spotlight,” 2014-2021;

- New York Real Estate Journal, “Women in Real Estate – Professional Services Spotlight,” 2013-2021;

- New York Real Estate Journal, “2015 Year in Review” Spotlight, December 2015;

- New York Real Estate Journal, “2002-2012: 10 Years of Women in Real Estate,” May 2012;

- Real Estate New York, “Women of Influence,” 2008-2009

Expert in these Jurisdictions

• New York

Work Highlights

• Representing a New York City-based owner and developer of a site in Brooklyn in a large-scale lease to Tesla.

• Representing a New York City-based family-owned real estate company in the sale of multiple portfolios of multifamily buildings in New York City.

• Representing JEMB Realty Corp. in its leasing matters in New York City including its new development located in Downtown Brooklyn known as One Willoughby Square.

• Representing a renowned hospitality group in a hotel acquisition and related food and beverage leases.

• Represented JEMB Realty Corp. in an acquisition loan from AIG for a Wyndham Grand branded hotel in Florida.

• Representing Resorts Casino Hotel Atlantic City in all leasing and licensing transactions involving Margaritaville Atlantic City Entertainment Complex, including a lease for a live entertainment venue.

• Represented the owner and developer of Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas in all leasing matters including a lease for a theater and live entertainment venue.

• Represented real estate developer David Edelstein in a lease and collaboration with renowned restaurateurs Stephen Starr and Keith McNally bringing New York City Meatpacking District hotspot Pastis to the trendy Wynwood arts area in Miami.

• Representing HELM Equities in the acquisition, financing, development and leasing of its first Miami ground-up development project in the Design District including office, retail and the largest offering of outdoor space in the Design District.

• Representing Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in significant long-term net leases of development sites, creation of leasehold condominiums, and leases of data centers.

• Representing the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets in a lease for its corporate headquarters in Industry City, in Sunset Park in downtown Brooklyn.

• Representing myriad well-known and celebrity restaurant operators and a prolific fast-casual restaurant franchisee in various leasing projects.

• Representing Columbus Turnstyle LLC in the leasing, financing and development of Turnstyle, an underground marketplace in the 59th Street Columbus Circle concourse, including negotiating a master lease with the MTA, leases with individual retailers, financing and joint venture agreements, construction agreements, and advertising agreements. The Turnstyle project was one of the 13 retail deals nominated by The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) as “The Most Significant Retail Deal of the Year” (2016).

• Represented the owner of 8 Times Square in a lease to Foot Locker for its prime Times Square location, which was recognized by The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) as “The Most Significant Retail Deal of the Year” (2016).

• Represented a landlord in downtown Manhattan in a lease to Cipriani for a catering venue.

• Representing/advising landlords and tenants across the country in lease restructuring situations.

• Representing/advising borrowers in commercial loan restructuring situations.

• Representing co-working space and flexible space providers in leases and partnership and management agreements.

• Representing the owner of various sites on Lincoln Road, Miami in retail leases to various national and local retailers and restaurateurs.

• Representing owners in office leases to New York State and New York City agencies.

• Represented the owner of a site in Times Square in a lease to Yardhouse for its flagship New York City restaurant/brewery/tap room.

• Representing Himmel + Meringoff Properties in its leasing matters in New York City.

• Representing Himmel + Meringoff Properties in the acquisition and financing of an office and warehouse building in Long Island City.

• Represented the borrower in a $100M mortgage financing from Bank of the Ozarks and $100M mezzanine financing from a foreign lender for its development site on the Upper East Side.

• Represented the owner of a New York City midtown luxury building in a lease to the Core Club, a high-end spa, fitness club, and restaurant.

• Represented the owner of a building on West 125th Street in a lease to Bed Bath and Beyond.

• Represented multiple landlords across the country in leases to H&M, including a lease in New York City for its largest store worldwide.

• Represented Forest City Ratner in its leasing matters at The Bridge at Cornell Tech.

• Represented a New York-based real estate company in the acquisition of development sites in the New York metropolitan area and in the leasing of those sites to Trader Joe’s, Walgreens and TD Bank.

• Represented a New York-based real estate company in the purchase, out of foreclosure, and financing of a multifamily property in Annapolis, MD.

• Represented the owner of a downtown New York City office building in a significant lease to Millennium High School.

Education