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SandraBuchko

She | Her | Hers

Partner

"Having seen just about everything when it comes to commercial real estate and financing transactions, clients appreciate how quickly and efficiently I address key issues."

Overview

Biography

With over 20 years of experience as an attorney at Am Law 200 and Global 200 law firms and 13 years of experience as an in-house regional leasing director for McArthur/Glen Group, Konover Property Trust, and Nine West Shoes, Sandra brings an exceptionally deep and nuanced understanding of how to effectively negotiate and close transactions for her clients while providing economic insights into the transactions.  Known as being tenacious and focused, she tactfully negotiates to provide her clients with successful results in an efficient manner.

Sandra represents landlords and tenants, real estate developers, embassies, hotels, not-for profit institutions, and REITs in retail, office, hotel, and multifamily real estate transactions, including landlord and tenant leasing matters, acquisitions and dispositions of commercial properties; hospitality, financing, including note sales and general foreclosure matters, and related corporate matters.

Sandra represents public and private for-profit and not-for-profit clients on a wide range of single-asset and portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, including multi-state hotel and assisted living portfolios, urban and suburban office buildings, bank and retail pad sites, strip and enclosed mall shopping centers, and charter schools. She also represents clients in like-kind exchanges and financing matters related to real estate assets, including multifamily, office, and retail centers. 

Building on her background as a regional leasing director, Sandra has extensive experience representing several of the largest national and international shopping center and office developers, landlords, and tenants in leasing transactions related to properties in the United States, Canada, China, and Romania.

During the Great Recession, Sandra received an appointment to the FDIC as Counsel to the Contracting and Risk Management Unit of the Legal Divisions. In this role, she received numerous awards for her negotiating skills.

Bar Associations

  • District of Columbia Bar Association
  • Virginia Bar Association

Selected Memberships & Affiliations

  • Barclay Damon’s Women’s Forum
  • NAIOP Northern Virginia, Awards Committee Member
  • Virginia Board of Governors, Real Property Section, Area Representative
Experience

Representative Experience

  • Represented a client in a $325 million sale of automobile and real estate assets.
  • Represented clients on a multistate hotel portfolio and in office and multifamily acquisitions and dispositions ranging from $1 million to $100 million in an individual asset valuation.
  • Represented clients in financing transactions ranging in loan amounts of $2 million to $48 million.
  • Represented automotive dealerships in financing transactions for business and real estate assets.
  • Represented national shopping center developers, assisted living and office owners and other clients in the acquisition and disposition of real estate assets.
  • Represented a client in the purchase of a $44.5 million office and multifamily project in Towson, Maryland, and the related $35.5 million loan transaction.
  • Represented a client in the purchase of a $10 million hotel in Bloomington, Indiana, and the related $7.5 million loan transaction.
  • Represented a client, as the borrower, in a construction loan transaction totaling $18.75 million for a hotel in Sonoma County, California.
  • Represented a client in the purchase of a boutique hotel in Georgetown, Washington DC.
  • Advised national and single-asset hospitality clients on leasing and operational matters.
  • Drafted and negotiated retail leases for the Mills Corporation, Westfield, restaurants, banks, and various other landlord and tenant clients.
  • Represented the FDIC in numerous settlement negotiations related to contract compliance issues.
  • Represented clients in multifamily financing and other real estate matters.
  • Represented clients in tax assessment appeals.
  • Represented national restaurant chains and other clients in land use matters.

Prior Experience

  • Asmar, Schor & McKenna, PLLC, Partner
  • FDIC, Counsel
  • Westfield, Senior Negotiator
  • Arent Fox, Associate
  • Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Associate
  • North Carolina Court of Appeals, Honorable John M. Tyson, Summer Clerk

Selected Community Activities

  • Building Hope, Board Member and Investment Committee Member

Selected Honors

  • FDIC, Star Award, 2014–2016; Mission Achievement Award, 2014; Negotiation of the Second Largest Post Payment Review Settlement in the History of the FDIC, 2012
  • Westfield, Performance Award, Largest Number of Leases Negotiated and Signed Within a Fiscal Quarter, 2011; Largest Number of Leases Negotiated and Signed Within a One-Month Period, 2011; Largest Amount of Square Footage in Leases Negotiated and Signed Within a Fiscal Quarter, 2011
Knowledge

Selected Media

  • “Commercial Leasing Issues: Understanding Net Versus Gross Lease”
  • “Understanding Operating Expense Gross Ups in Commercial Leases”
  • American Lawyer Media, Commercial Leasing Law & Strategy Newsletter, “It's a Tenant's Market: How to Negotiate and Navigate the Leasing Process”
  • GlobeSt.com, “Understanding Percentage Retail Rent”

Selected Must Know Minuteā„¢

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