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Bart I. Mellits has more than 30 years of experience representing developers, owners, and institutions in a wide range of real estate projects and transactions. His experience encompasses development, joint ventures, sales, acquisitions, leasing, and loan transactions, as well as real estate workouts. He also counsels a variety of Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit clients on real estate issues affecting their businesses. Bart is a member of the firm's Elected Board and is the former Chair of the firm's Real Estate Department.
Bart has led legal efforts on real estate-related projects for public and private universities, national lending institutions and national retailers, in addition to national, regional, and local developers. He has worked on a broad range of projects, including research parks, hospitals and medical office buildings, shopping centers and malls, corporate headquarters, industrial and warehouse facilities, multifamily residential properties, and hotels.
Services
- Real Estate
- Real Estate Development and Transactions
- Leasing
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Private Credit and High-Yield
- Distressed Assets and Opportunities
- Distressed Real Estate
- Distressed Office Buildings
- Bankruptcy and Restructuring
- Climate Change and Sustainability
- Education
- REITs
- Commercial Finance
- Life Sciences
- Sports
Experience
Representative Matters
- Led a team of attorneys in the sale of a national portfolio of warehouse and retail assets to a leading global REIT for more than $800 million by a New Jersey-based real estate company.
- Represented a national developer in its collaboration with a major university for the redevelopment of a 14-acre downtown site. The mixed-use project will include research, lab, and educational facilities, as well as tech office space, high- and low- rise residential, retail, and recreational areas.
- Represented a national developer in its collaboration with a major Florida university for development of a multi-building life science park, to include up to 1.8 million square feet of lab space, offices, retail shops, and restaurants, by preparation and negotiation of a development agreement, ground lease, and other key deal documents.
Professional Highlights
Professional Activities
New Jersey Bar Association
New York Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association, Business Law Section and Real Property Section
Recognition & Accomplishments
Philadelphia Business Journal, "Dealmaker of the Year," 2022
Chambers USA, real estate law (Pennsylvania) Band 1, 2009-2021, 2023; real estate law (Philadelphia and Surrounds), 2022, 2024
The Best Lawyers in America, real estate law, 2009-2020, 2022-2025
The Legal 500 US, real estate and construction - construction, 2014; real estate, 2013-2014, 2016-2022; real estate finance, 2021
Related Insights
Credentials
Education
George Washington University Law School (J.D. 1984)
Associate Editor, George Washington Journal of International Law and Economics
Georgetown University (B.A., cum laude, 1981)
Admissions
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania