James P. Mullen

Biography

Mr. Mullen specializes in real estate law, with a particular emphasis on property acquisition and development, commercial and industrial leasing, construction law, and real estate finance.

Mr. Mullen represents developers, investors, and property owners in purchase and sale transactions of unimproved land and development sites, residential subdivision properties and master-planned communities, and office, commercial, and industrial buildings. He has experience in preparing CC&Rs and access and easement agreements for development properties and commercial and industrial condominium projects. Mr. Mullen also advises both lenders and borrowers in secured financing matters, including negotiating and documenting acquisition and development loans, mezzanine loans, construction loans, revolving lines of credit, and permanent financing.

Mr. Mullen has broad experience representing landlords and tenants in office, retail, and industrial leasing transactions. This experience includes negotiating and documenting leases for all types of clients, from small retail tenants to office landlords and tenants and owners and users of large industrial warehouse and distribution facilities. In addition, Mr. Mullen advises landlords and tenants in connection with lease disputes and a wide array of lender financing and subordination issues.

Mr. Mullen also has substantial expertise in counseling clients on documenting and managing construction projects, from tenant improvements to the construction and rehabilitation of large industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities.

Before joining Garrett DeFrenza Stiepel Ryder LLP, Mr. Mullen was an associate with DLA Piper LLP in San Diego, California.

Representative Transactions

• Representation of a developer/general contractor in connection with the construction of multiple industrial projects in Los Angeles County, California, having an aggregate value of more than $36 million.
• Representation of the owner of Class A office building in Newport Beach, California in connection with all building leasing activity.
• Representation of health and beauty services franchisees in leasing numerous retail locations throughout Southern California.
• Representation of a financial services company in leasing an 83,000 square foot office headquarters location in Orange County, California.
• Representation of a property owner in securing a $17 million permanent loan for an office/retail mixed-use building in San Francisco, California.

Education

J.D., University of Notre Dame, 1999
B.A., University of Notre Dame, 1996

Affiliations

State Bar of California (Real Property Law section)
Orange County Bar Association (Real Property Law section)