Pamela Duffy has been selected as the San Francisco Litigation – Land Use & Zoning “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed publication in the legal profession. This is the third year Duffy has received the “Lawyer of the Year” honor, which is awarded to a single lawyer in 16 high-profile legal specialties. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 1995.

“We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one’s peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the profession,” said Steven Naifeh, President of Best Lawyers. “We would like to congratulate Pam Duffy on being selected as the ‘San Francisco Best Lawyers Litigation – Land Use & Zoning Lawyer of the Year’ for 2014.”

Alan Gennis is honored as a “Top 25 Real Estate Transactional Lawyers” by the Daily Journal.

Alan is highlighted for his work on the 49ers new stadium project, a “$1.3 billion, 68,500 seat venue . . . complicated transaction . . . at the core was the challenge of finding what Alan calls a ‘win-win’ for both the team and the city.”

“It is the first professional football stadium constructed in California in 50 years . . . getting the city behind it is not the easiest thing . . . we needed a way to bring all of the constituencies together to reach an agreement,” said Alan.

Congratulations, Alan, on your well-deserved recognition.

Gregg Ficks led TMG Partners and Northwood Investors through a complicated bankruptcy court acquisition of some of San Francisco’s most sought-after real estate—seven parcels at First and Mission Streets, kitty-corner to the Transbay Terminal. The land was locked-up in a morass of bankruptcy court and state court litigation between other parties, which Gregg creatively broke-through to enable TMG/Northwood to acquire this massive project on which it will develop two towers with 2,000,000 square feet of office, retail and residential improvements. Coblentz’s land use team of Harry O’Brien, Caroline Guibert and Rob Hodil also assisted with the due diligence on acquisition. The deal size is over $100 million, a monumental project and deal for renowned developer TMG Partners, and for Northwood Investors.

Niners attorney Jonathan Bass is highlighted in the San Jose Mercury News article “Niners Win First Round – Team gets Restraining Order on $30 Million in Disputed Money” by  Mike Rosenberg and Steve Harmon.

“The San Francisco 49ers scored their first victory in the team’s fight with South Bay leaders to wrestle back $30 million in stadium funds, as a judge barred local school districts from spending the money and signaled he may soon give it to the team. The judge presiding over the case set a July 27, 2013 hearing at which he may rule on the 49ers’ claim that the team should get the funds because voters had earmarked the money specifically for the stadium.”

Jon Bass and Coblentz’s real estate, business, and litigation teams continue to represent the Niners in their stadium project and in other needs of the team.

Danna Kozerski has been elected as a Fellow of The American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), the premier organization of U.S. real estate lawyers. Admission is by invitation only after a rigorous screening process. ACREL’s distinguished, nationally-known lawyers have been elected to fellowship for their outstanding legal ability, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of real estate law. Danna is one of only 18 lawyers chosen nationally as a new member of ACREL in 2013, and one of only four in California.

Coblentz represented Tom Price and Adam Simms, well known auto dealers, in their acquisition of Carlsen Volvo in Palo Alto, CA.  We advised the buying entity, Price – Simms LLC, on the asset purchase including the related real estate work which  involved third parties.  The transaction was closed on an accelerated basis.  The financial terms are not being publicly disclosed.

Paul Tauber and Jeffry Bernstein represented the digital design darling, 17Feet Inc., in the acquisition of certain of its assets by Google. Inc. 17Feet partners with companies of all sizes to help move digital products forward through design, user experience, strategy and project management.  The talented company was honored at the 2012 Horizon Interactive Awards, a prestigious international competition, where it garnered international accolades for its outstanding achievement among interactive media producers.  Awards included work for Simraceway, Pac-12 Network, Work.com, Slashdot Mobile Web, and nonprofits California Budget Challenge and ACLU.  Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Congratulations to Coblentz attorneys Jeffry Bernstein, Fred Fields, Misti Schmidt and Daniel Vermillion, who were recognized by the San Francisco Bar Association at a reception honoring the top 10 percent of the Justice & Diversity Center’s Pro Bono Legal Services Program volunteers.

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Coblentz is recognized as a California “Top Ranked Law Firm” for the number of its attorneys who have achieved the AV® Preeminent rating™. More than half of Coblentz’s partners have earned an AV Preeminent® rating. Out of nearly 43,000 firms considered, Coblentz is one of only 222 firms recognized. California’s Top Ranked Law Firms™ is found in The Wall Street Journal and The Recorder, as well as The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, and The National Law Journal, and LAW.COM.

Coblentz’s Business Chair, Paul Tauber, represented Tradar Limited in its acquisition by Eze Software Group, an independent provider of global, multi-asset class investment technology backed by leading global private investment firm, TPG.  Tradar specializes in accounting and portfolio management software for hedge funds and other asset managers and will be part of the Eze Software Group.  Eze Software Group offers investment management software products from front office to back office with a fully integrated global platform.  Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. DAC Beachcroft LLP served as UK counsel for Tradar in this cross border transaction.