Jerry Katz | Attorney

Real Estate Partner Jerry Katz is the Chair of the Firm's Green Building Practice Group.  He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of California at Berkeley, Undergraduate School of Business, in 1980 and his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1983.  Mr. Katz was admitted to the California State Bar in 1983.

During the past 26 years, Mr. Katz 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, media ventures, internet companies, entertainment companies, studio owners, technology companies and sports franchises.  Mr. Katz has handled virtually every aspect of real estate transactions, including real estate acquisitions and dispositions, development, real estate secured and asset-based financing, loan workouts, tax-deferred exchanges, subdivisions, complex title insurance matters, and commercial leasing.  In addition to his real estate experience, Mr. Katz has drafted and negotiated technology agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, sponsorship/endorsement agreements, bundling agreements, and OEM agreements.

Mr. Katz combines his extensive legal background with a unique blend of top level business experience.  He was 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.  Mr. Katz uses his business background to provide both legal and practical business solutions to his clients.

Mr. Katz has been one of the lead attorneys representing MGM MIRAGE in all aspects of the development and construction of Project CityCenter, a $9 billion, 18 million square foot mixed-use development on the Las Vegas strip, that is reputed to be the largest privately funded development in the history of the United States.  Project CityCenter includes the construction of three new hotels, including a 4,000 room luxury casino-hotel to be operated by MGM MIRAGE and two branded hotels to be operated by Mandarin Oriental and The Light Group, respectively.  Project CityCenter also includes approximately 500,000 square feet of retail space, at least three condominium towers, a convention center and theater. 

As one of the most prestigious projects under construction anywhere in the world, MGM MIRAGE has been able to entice some of the world's most prominent firms to work on the project.  As a result, Mr. Katz has negotiated and drafted agreements with the leading construction, architecture and consulting firms, the world over.  In addition to negotiating and drafting various complex agreements involved in the project, Mr. Katz is part of CityCenter's leadership team, providing valuable strategic feedback and input on a variety of topics, as well as being a member of the CityCenter Diversity Committee.

Mr. Katz has principal responsibility for legal work related to green building and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) matters, including CityCenter, the largest green building project in history.  Mr. Katz is part of a select group of lawyers nationwide who have earned the distinguished LEED Accredited Professional credential.  As LEED counsel he advises MGM MIRAGE on all aspects of LEED activities including: LEED design; relationships and communication with the U.S. Green Building Council; LEED related purchasing activities; LEED related conduct of the general contractor and over 600 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.  Mr. Katz has also been involved in advising 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.

Mr. Katz has been interviewed by real estate industry publications and radio broadcasts and speaks frequently on topics related to the green building.

Mr. Katz resides in Manhattan Beach with his wife and two children.