Laura M. Kaplan

Senior Counsel

lkaplan@darroweverett.com

(617) 445-4500

Laura Kaplan
Background & Experience

Bio

Laura Kaplan is a Senior Counsel in DarrowEverett’s Commercial Real Estate Practice Group and represents owners, investors, lenders and developers in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions.  Laura has extensive experience advising clients on legal matters related to the entire lifecycle of real estate transactions, including acquisition, financing, development, leasing, operation and disposition of office, industrial, retail, hospitality and mixed-use properties.  Laura is a practical problem-solver who thrives helping clients achieve their goals.

Prior Experience

Prior to joining the DarrowEverett team, Laura spent over 15 years working in both outside and in-house counsel roles in Boston, Massachusetts, at all times concentrating her legal practice on complex commercial real estate transactions.

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Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Massachusetts

Education

  • Harvard Law School, J.D.
  • Princeton University, B.A.

Involvement

  • ICSC
  • Boston Bar Association
  • CREW Boston
Representative Matters

Representative Matters

  • Represented Young American Food Brands, doing business as Miami Beef, a top provider of premium branded protein products to major retailers and food service customers throughout the country, and its investor, Trivest Partners, one of the nation’s leading private equity investment firms, in the strategic add-on acquisition of a highly regarded provider of complementary cooked beef products and its associated real estate, including a production facility. Our team led all aspects of the transaction, from structuring and negotiating the definitive agreements for both the business and real estate components, spearheading legal, regulatory, and real estate due diligence activities (including various insurance products in support of the transaction) to advising on financing arrangements with a prominent national lender, which provided dual loan facilities to support the transaction.
  • Advised a prominent New York-based private investment firm on its junior preferred investment, made through a special purpose vehicle, in a leading software, data, financial, and management services provider for music artists and independent record labels at a post-money valuation nearing $1 billion, handling all aspects of the transaction, including negotiations, due diligence, drafting of junior preferred investment documents, and closing.
  • Represented a prominent New York-based investment firm in a Series B preferred equity financing, supporting its investment in a rapidly expanding, multistate provider of interactive and sensory-related experiences. Our team delivered end-to-end legal counsel, including conducting thorough due diligence, drafting and negotiating equity financing documents, and navigating the transaction through to closing. Additionally, we negotiated employment agreements for the founders, safeguarding the client’s investment by aligning key personnel incentives with the company’s long-term growth objectives.
  • Served as investor counsel in connection with the negotiation and drafting of two companion joint ventures entered into with a family office real estate acquisition and management group. The joint ventures were formed for the purpose of acquiring three parcels of prominently situated property in downtown Houston, Texas, including two parcels consisting of office buildings intended to qualify as qualified opportunity zone (QOZ) property. Our representation also included structuring the investor’s companion investment entities that were formed for the purpose of holding the QOZ partnership interest and non-QOZ partnership interest in the joint ventures and preparing the investment entities’ Rule 506(b) syndication offering documents.
  • Represented a prominent New York-based private credit and equity investment firm in connection with a complex debt and equity financing transaction involving a multistate HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services company. The transaction included a credit facility consisting of a delayed draw term loan (DDTL), term loan, and revolving line of credit, as well as a preferred equity investment. Our team provided comprehensive legal services throughout the process, including due diligence, negotiation, drafting, and closing of all related agreements, ensuring a successful outcome for our client.
  • Represented BH Group Miami, a prominent Miami-based real estate development firm, on the acquisition and financing of a significant $83 million waterfront property transaction in Miami-Dade County involving real estate, financing, and joint venture components. The deal involved the negotiation and closing on the purchase of two 10-story towers comprising over 330 residential units, and all aspects of the associated due diligence. As part of the acquisition, our finance team assisted BH Group in securing a significant loan from a Miami-based mortgage lender, negotiating favorable financing terms to support and fund a portion of the purchase. Additionally, our corporate and finance teams structured a joint venture with a strategic partner, drafted a comprehensive joint venture agreement, and negotiated and closed on a collateralized loan facility in collaboration with the joint venture partner.
  • Represented a prominent South Florida-based real estate investment group in connection with the acquisition of a commercial real estate portfolio consisting of 27 properties located in 11 states, occupied by 17 different regional and national commercial retail tenants. Our work involved negotiation and documentation of a line of credit collateralized by the portfolios. We undertook complex due diligence matters and drafted customary real estate acquisition documents.
  • Represented a joint venture of real estate investment groups in connection with the acquisition of two commercial real estate portfolios consisting, in aggregate, of 45 properties located in 12 states, occupied by regional and national commercial tenants. Our work involved negotiation and documentation of a loan collateralized by both portfolios and coordination of like-kind exchanges. We undertook complex due diligence matters and drafted customary real estate acquisition and lease documents.
  • Represented a prominent New York-based investment firm in a Series B preferred equity financing, supporting its investment in a rapidly expanding, multistate provider of interactive and sensory-related experiences. Our team delivered end-to-end legal counsel, including conducting thorough due diligence, drafting and negotiating equity financing documents, and navigating the transaction through to closing.

  • Represented a prominent South Florida real estate investment group in connection with the acquisition of a commercial real estate portfolio consisting of 12 properties located in three different states, occupied by national commercial tenants. Our work involved complex diligence matters and drafting customary and complex real estate acquisition documents.

  • Represented PEBB Enterprises and BH Group in their $48.5 million joint venture acquisition of a prime waterfront shopping center in Fort Lauderdale that will be redeveloped to include 361 housing units. I assisted with due diligence and the financing and closing of the transaction with a large Florida-based bank.

  • Represented owner of a grocery-anchored shopping center in Massachusetts in an $18 million sale, including negotiating the purchase and sale agreement and preparing conveyancing documents.
  • Representation of various shopping center owners in their retail leasing transactions (including leases with national brands), representations of owners and users of office, laboratory and other commercial space in leasing transactions, and representation of industrial clients in sale/leaseback transactions.
  • Representation of borrowers and lenders in construction and permanent financings and refinancings.
  • Representation of REIT in numerous acquisitions of industrial properties in multiple jurisdictions.
  • Providing real estate asset management services to public institutions in all aspects of the sale and long-term lease of surplus real property, including procurement law compliance and negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, development agreements, leases, and conveyancing documents.

 

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Insights & Media

Insights

Media

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