A Seattle native, Aliza Allen founded the Allen Law Group LLC in 2014 after more than 20 years in practice in commercial real estate development and finance.  Prior to starting her own firm, Aliza was a partner with Buck & Gordon LLP (now Van Ness Feldman) and served as in-house counsel to developer Lorig Associates, LLC, and its property management affiliate.  As in-house counsel, Aliza provided strategic, business and legal advice to owners and employees on a wide array of real estate related issues including development services agreements, corporate and project financing, property management issues, contract analysis, investor relations and litigation management.  During her tenure at Buck & Gordon LLP, Aliza represented real estate developers, institutional clients, quasi governmental entities and individuals in all aspects of real estate ownership and development.  Representative projects include:

• Negotiated, documented and closed $20M sale of a 128-unit apartment building and assignment of air rights lease to public entity. Transaction included defeasance of existing loan and complex ownership structure with master lease back to ground lessor and early termination of tenant leases to make way for buyer use. Work included issuance of opinion of borrower’s counsel for loan defeasance.
• Negotiated, documented and closed seller-financed conveyance of LLC membership interest in commercial development secured by pledge of LLC interests and personal guarantees.
• Negotiated, documented and closed sale of $15M mixed use, multi building ground leased development with additional commercial unit in adjacent condominium building. Complicated transaction included two loan assumptions (private and public financing), low-income housing units (with accompanying regulatory agreement) and amendments to both a reciprocal easement agreement and the condominium declaration required by the buyer.
• Negotiated, documented and closed sale of $2.1M commercial site to public entity for fleet repair and maintenance facility. Transaction included drafting covenants to protect client-owned adjacent property from post-closing impacts of public use.  Worked with two generations of extended family members with several partners located out of the country.
• Negotiated multiple tenant leases for local real estate investor with franchise businesses in food and fitness services.
• Advised family on development and management of $10M real estate portfolio including formation of property specific LLCs to hold title to assets with accompanying lease assignments.
• Negotiated and closed construction loan for local independent school. Work included resolution of title issues with founder of school and coordination between lender and modular supplier for security interests in asset.
• Analyzed legal description discrepancy for commercial property owned by family partnership; recommended course of action and prepared documents to resolve issue.
• Negotiated retail lease for local non-profit.
• Negotiated and revised private utility easement to protect client from neighboring development.
• Title review for quasi-governmental coalition’s acquisition of former White River – Lake Tapps Reservoir as future municipal drinking water supply.

Aliza’s experience through years of private practice and in-house work, coupled with her focus on delivering cost-effective results for clients in a prompt, professional manner, makes the Allen Law Group PLLC uniquely qualified to help you on your next real estate project.

 

Education/Other Experience

• ULI Center for Sustainable Leadership Program, Seattle Chapter, 2013-2014
• ULI Real Estate Finance Course Work, 2012, 2015
• University of Washington School of Law, J.D., 1987
• Washington State University, B. A., 1984, summa cum laude
  • 1984 Outstanding Senior Woman of the Year