Biography
Jerry Katz has over three decades of experience handling virtually every aspect of real estate-related transactions, including real estate acquisitions and dispositions, development, real estate secured and asset-based financing, loan workouts, tax-deferred exchanges, complex title insurance matters, ground leases, and commercial leasing.
In addition to his real estate experience, he has also drafted and negotiated technology agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, sponsorship/endorsement agreements, bundling agreements, and OEM agreements.
Throughout his career, Jerry has represented a wide variety of clients, including publicly traded and privately held companies, institutional investors, developers, lenders, borrowers, joint venture partners, pension funds, REITs, retailers, management companies, private equity firms, media ventures, Internet companies, entertainment companies, studio owners, technology companies, sports franchises, and some of the world’s leading construction, architecture, and consulting firms.
Notably, Jerry strategically combines his extensive legal background with a unique blend of high-level business experience. In addition to his private practice experience, Jerry has served as chief operating officer, chief compliance officer, and general counsel of a global investment firm that currently has more than $8.1 billion of capital under management. His primary responsibilities included overseeing all operations, finances, and legal and administrative matters for its funds, as well as advising on strategic initiatives and providing counsel for certain transaction and portfolio matters. Jerry was also recruited by a venture capital firm to serve as a key executive in a technology company, and has several years of experience as an executive in entertainment businesses.
LEED Accredited Professional
Jerry is part of a select group of lawyers nationwide who have earned the distinguished LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional credential. As a result, he has significant experience managing LEED design; relationships and communications with the U.S. Green Building Council; LEED-related purchasing activities; LEED-related conduct of general contractors and subcontractors; LEED-related transactions and insurance matters related to the LEED work of designers, architects of record, and their LEED consultants; LEED accounting and documentations processes; LEED waste management and recycling issues; campus versus whole project LEED certification formats; risk analysis; retention and termination of LEED technical consultants; Division 1 drafting and development; LEED-specification drafting; lease and sales agreements for LEED retail and other structures; and a wide range of other LEED-related processes and substantive matters.
Experience
- Represented MGM MIRAGE in all aspects of the development and construction of Project CityCenter, a nine-billion-dollar, 18-million-square-foot mixed-use development on the Las Vegas Strip, one of the largest privately funded developments in the history of the United States. Project CityCenter included the construction of three new hotels, including a 4,000-room luxury casino-hotel, approximately 500,000 square feet of retail space, three condominium towers, a convention center, and a theater.
- Advised MGM MIRAGE on the revision of Nevada statutes dealing with sales/use tax and property tax abatements for LEED projects, as well as the associated regulations promulgated by the Nevada Office of Energy.
- Represented the Friendship Foundation on the leasing and development of a 3.25-acre site that will serve as the innovative campus for a 64,000-square-foot facility serving intellectually and physically diverse students.
Affiliations
Jerry has served for over 19 years as a member of the national board of directors of Camp Kesem, a nationwide community driven by passionate college student leaders that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. He also serves on the national board of directors of American Friends of Sheba Medical Center, the largest medical center in the Middle East and ranked in the Top 10 in the world.
Additionally, Jerry is a special advisor to the board of directors of The Friendship Foundation, which provides year-round programs and services for children and young adults with special needs.
Credentials
Admissions
- California
Education
- University of California at Berkeley, BS
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, JD, cum laude