Michael Haworth

Michael Haworth

Partner
About

Michael Haworth's practice focuses on commercial real estate transactions, often involving cross-border investments between the US, Asia or other jurisdictions. He advises a range of real estate investors, lenders and other market participants on real estate investment matters globally, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and financings, both as borrower and lender. Drawing upon over ten years' experience as a lawyer in Tokyo and Hong Kong, Michael has experience in helping first time investors navigate cultural, legal and market differences in cross-border Asia/US real estate transactions. Michael's clients include representatives of regional and international investment funds, asset managers, developers, banks, life insurance companies, family offices and other owners and operators of commercial real estate.

Areas of FocusReal Estate
Bar admissionsCaliforniaDistrict of ColumbiaNew York

EXPERIENCE

  • Represented Tokyo Trust Capital Co., Ltd. and MC Real Estate Partners LLC, a New York-based owner/operator of office assets, on the approximately US$100 million acquisition of 434 Broadway, a fully leased office building in SoHo in downtown Manhattan, from Savanna. The 66,000 square-foot property has office space on the top eight floors, plus street-level and below-grade retail space
  • Represented Shimizu Corporation on its inaugural New York office investment – the US$147 million acquisition of the Albano Building, a high-rise office tower in Manhattan from the Vanbarton Group
  • Represented Tokyo Trust Capital Co., Ltd. on the US$131 million acquisition of One Tehama from CIM Group. This Class A creative office building in San Francisco is fully leased to SoFi and serves as its corporate headquarters
  • Represented the US real estate subsidiary of Tokyu Land Corporation, one of the largest Japanese conglomerates on its significant equity investment in the 425 Park Avenue development project in New York City
  • Represented an international investment fund with numerous real estate acquisition, real estate debt acquisition, joint venture and financing transactions across Japan, including office, retail, residential and hospitality properties, with an aggregate transaction volume of over US$479 million in a twelve-month period
  • Represented numerous institutional lenders in establishing Japanese lending programs and the origination of various nonrecourse loans and the purchase of tokutei mokuteki kaisha bonds secured by real property located in Japan
Education
  • J.D., University of Notre Dame Law School
  • B.A., University of California at Los Angeles

Awards

  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Recommended, Real Estate (2023)
  • Chambers Global
    • Spotlight Table Expert Based Abroad, Japan Real Estate (Expertise Based Abroad in USA) (2023)

Seminars

  • Panelist, "Innovations in Structuring Joint Ventures," iGlobal Forum 24th Real Estate Private Equity Summit, New York, 2023
  • Panelist, "Joint Ventures 101," Real Estate Asset Management Roundtable, New York, 2018
  • Speaker, "ULI Japan US Real Estate Investment Seminar," Urban Land Institute, Tokyo, 2017
  • Speaker, "US Real Estate Investment Forum: A Roadmap to Accessing US Markets," Orrick and JLL Seminar, Tokyo, 2015
  • Panelist, "Global Appeal: Comparing the World's Top Real Estate Markets," NYU Schack Alumni Panel Discussion, New York, 2015

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