Press Release
Duane Morris Names George Kroculick and Chester Lee New Co-Chairs of Real Estate Practice Group
PHILADELPHIA and NEW YORK, January 10, 2013—Law firm Duane Morris LLP is pleased to announce that it has named partners Chester Lee in New York and George Kroculick in Philadelphia as co-chairs of its firmwide Real Estate Practice Group. Lee and Kroculick succeed partner Marc Brookman in heading the practice.
Lee and Kroculick will take over a national practice involving more than 90 lawyers and featuring a broad range of skills and experience in virtually all real estate and development matters. Duane Morris real estate lawyers represent clients in sophisticated and complex real estate transactions, including the purchase, sale, leasing, development, financing, joint venture, syndication, securitization, use and management of real property and real estate portfolios. This includes legal work relating to lease agreements, financing and loan documents, restructurings and workouts, condemnation, eminent domain, valuation and tax issues, purchase and sale agreement negotiations, real estate development and real estate portfolio management.
"Marc Brookman had an accomplished tenure as the leader of our real estate group, overseeing substantial growth in head count and reputation," said John Soroko, Chairman and CEO of Duane Morris. "I know that I speak for the entire firm when I thank Marc for his service in that role. George and Chester are top-tier real estate lawyers who are well-positioned to expand the practice's scope and capabilities in the years to come. I'm confident that they will bring great ideas and energy to the group as its new leaders."
George Kroculick practices in the area of real estate law with a focus on eminent domain—including just compensation, right to take, relocation assistance and highway access management, as well as land use and land use litigation—and real estate tax relief matters. He has represented clients before local and county land use boards and has worked on lease litigation matters and title disputes.
Kroculick represents private property owners whose property has been claimed for transportation right of way and other public projects. He has represented private sector clients in condemnations of environmentally sensitive properties as well. Kroculick is listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for real estate law and has written and lectured frequently on issues regarding condemnation law, including relocation expenses, demonstrative evidence, severance damages and the public use doctrine.
Kroculick is a member of the editorial board of the International Council of Shopping Centers' publication, Shopping Center Legal Update; a member of the editorial board of the International Council of Shopping Centers' publication, Retail Law Strategist; and an affiliate member of the Appraisal Institute. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute. He earned his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and is a cum laude graduate of Villanova University.
Chester Lee practices in the area of real estate law, providing strategic and legal advice for all types of commercial real estate transactions. He has represented both lenders and borrowers in secured financings and loan restructurings, including construction loans, Real-Estate-Owned properties (REOs), leasehold financings, debtor-in-possession loans, exit financings, project financings and mezzanine debt. Lee also has counseled clients in acquiring, disposing and developing real property, such as ground-lease and sale-leaseback transactions (including sale-leasebacks involving call centers and medical facilities). Many of these matters involved purchases of multiple sites located in numerous jurisdictions. Lee has represented many foreign investors (including those from China, Russia and France) in their initial acquisitions and developments of projects in the United States (such as retail and manufacturing sites). He has worked with landlords, tenants and subtenants in the leasing and subleasing of real estate assets, including built-to-suit facilities, retail locations and warehouse and distribution centers.
Lee also has represented international and domestic investors in natural resource acquisitions that include uranium and coal mining projects. He has assisted clients in the financing of energy assets, such as wind farms and propane gas distribution facilities.
Lee is a 1982 graduate of Harvard Law School and a summa cum laude graduate of Columbia College.
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP, a global law firm with more than 700 attorneys in offices across the United States and around the world, is asked by a broad array of clients to provide innovative solutions to today's legal and business challenges.
