Eric Starr

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Eric Starr

Eric provides sophisticated legal counsel and offers efficient and effective legal solutions to his national, regional and international clients. Specializing in real estate finance, acquisitions, dispositions, development, leasing, taxation, and workouts, Eric draws on his broad experience in transactional real estate in order to find the best solutions and achieve optimal results for his clientele. His clients include national and regional banks, developers, financial services companies, including insurance and mortgage banking firms; REITs; foreign and U.S. investors; contractors and pension advisers. Eric also represents restaurant organizations, breweries and food service companies.

Eric Starr

In his 37 years of practice, Eric has represented his clients in a wide range of commercial real estate equity and debt transactions. He recently represented a consortium of Chinese (PRC) investors in the acquisition of Oyster Point, a complex commercial real estate project in South San Francisco involving entitlements, environmental and title issues, and infrastructure concerns, in a challenging public-private development setting.  He also served as counsel to the seller on a $468 million “UPREIT” transaction, which involved 17 apartment projects in four states. Previously, Eric was general counsel to a regional mortgage banking company, and also outside counsel to a financial services company, directing real estate, finance, and tax workouts on a nationwide real estate portfolio of more than $4 billion. From 1992-1998, he directed loan workouts for a major regional development company on 24 different deals, with national institutional lenders. His experience representing banks, investors, and developers allows him to efficiently and effectively service both sides, nimbly arriving at successful solutions and optimal results for his clients.

Eric has significant experience directing and assisting the purchase and sale of real estate loans. He has devised and implemented action plans for the sale of real estate loan portfolios and individual loans for regional banks and investment funds. Eric formerly represented the California State Insurance Commissioner in the liquidation of real estate loan portfolios, as receiver for failed insurance companies. He currently counsels private clients and institutions in the acquisition of individual notes and commercial real estate loan portfolios throughout the western United States. Eric serves as outside counsel for several national banks, for loan originations as well as workouts and foreclosures, from single-asset loans to entire debt portfolios.

Eric’s current clientele includes several notable national and international restaurant, brewery, winery and food service clients. Understanding the unique challenges of food service organizations, Eric actively represents one of the world’s largest fast-food chain throughout the United States, as well as several of the largest fine-dining organizations in San Francisco.

From 1984-2000, Eric served as an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Eric has also lectured extensively and previously contributed to Miller & Starr, Current Law of California Real Estate, and The Real Estate Tax Digest. He is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell in recognition of his high ethical standards and strong legal abilities.

Eric lives in San Francisco with his wife, Gayle, and their son, Daniel. He enjoys music and international travel, and serves on the boards of several local charities. In his spare time, Eric can be found on the golf course, or at a Giants game rooting for another championship season.

Bar Admissions

  • California State Bar Association

Professional Associations

  • California Bar Association
  • California Mortgage Bankers Association
  • NAIOP
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Lambda Alpha International

Education

  • Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
  • Brandeis University, B.A., History