David Amerikaner

Special Counsel

  • David Amerikaner
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1939

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA

David Amerikaner is a member of Duane Morris’ Real Estate Practice Group and focuses his practice on land use, project development, environmental law, eminent domain, and sustainability.

Mr. Amerikaner advises developers, energy companies, and other large users of land through the process of obtaining permits and approvals to develop their land.  This practice includes representation before local and state planning commissions, boards, councils, agencies, and other decisionmakers, as well as outreach to and negotiation with project opponents.  Mr. Amerikaner’s experience spans several states and local jurisdictions, particularly the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other environmental and municipal regulations in California.  He also handles litigation matters that arise from land development.

Mr. Amerikaner handles eminent domain matters for utilities seeking to condemn private properties for public use, and on behalf of private property owners whose properties have been condemned.  He also represents private property owners in tax assessment appeals.

Mr. Amerikaner regularly counsels private equity firms, banks, sovereign wealth funds, and other entities on the environmental aspects of corporate transactions.  He is experienced in performing due diligence, negotiating and drafting contractual provisions, and providing strategic advice in the context of mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, debt and equity financing, real estate transactions, and project finance.

Mr. Amerikaner has an active practice in the field of environmental commodities, including advising clients on the generation and trading of carbon credits and various types of mitigation credits.  He also counsels clients on reducing their carbon footprints and complying with environmental mitigation requirements, on both voluntary and mandatory bases.

In addition, Mr. Amerikaner maintains a robust pro bono practice, including work on behalf of disadvantaged individuals related to land use, government approvals, real estate transactions, immigration, and Holocaust reparations.

Mr. Amerikaner is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. He is a former advisory board member of the Trust for Public Land New York State Chapter, and is active in fundraising and team building for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  Mr. Amerikaner is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Harvard University, and also received a master’s degree in Education Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Areas of Practice

  • Real Estate Law

  • Project Development

  • Land Use

Representative Matters

    Environmental Transactional

  • Represented Fultra, a Mexico-based provider of motor transportation equipment and parts in North America and parent company of Fruehauf, in its acquisition of East Manufacturing, an aluminum trailer maker.

  • Represented a sovereign wealth fund on formation of a joint venture and acquisition of environmentally impacted development property in the United States.

  • Represented a residential housing developer on its acquisition by Lennar Corporation.

  • Represented an entertainment and hospitality company on a bid to develop a new casino property in the northeastern U.S.

  • Represented a leading private equity fund on the acquisition of a dental products manufacturing company.

  • Represented a large private equity fund on the acquisition of a packaging machinery manufacturing company.

  • Represented a global investment firm on the acquisition of a 50% interest in an oil pipeline located in the Central U.S.

  • Represented a leading private equity fund in the agricultural and food space in its acquisition of several portfolio companies in the agricultural and food production industries, in deals totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

  • Represented a subsidiary of a global private equity firm on the acquisition of a provider of sustainable management solutions for industrial and desalination applications.

  • Represented a major private equity fund in the chemicals space on the acquisition of several portfolio companies in the chemicals manufacturing industry.

    • Renewable Energy and Environmental Commodities

  • Represented The Newhall Land and Farming Company on direct investments in offsite greenhouse gas reduction programs, including the purchase of a forest property in Northern California and planned carbon sequestration and credit generation.

  • Represented a power transmission company on applications for rights of way to transport electricity from new renewable energy installations to the electrical grid.

  • Represented the Restore the Earth Foundation on the formation of an impact fund to restore and reforest degraded agricultural land in the Mississippi River Valley, and on partnerships with corporations interested in funding their work and/or reaping financial benefits from the generation and sale of environmental commodities.

  • Represented a major renewable energy developer on the development, financing, and sale of solar and wind energy projects in the United States.

  • Represented a large renewable energy project company on the investment in and divestment from various renewable energy projects in the United States.

    • Land Use and Project Development

  • Represented Hudson Valley Property Group, a leading national affordable housing preservation company, in obtaining use variance approvals and site plan approval from the Camden, New Jersey Zoning Board of Adjustment, for purchase and renovation of the landmark Northgate 1 apartment complex, a high-rise residential building with ground-floor commercial tenants hailed as the pinnacle of urban renewal when built in the 1960s but since fallen into disrepair; client will invest $35 million to renovate and modernize the building and improve security, while maintaining its status as a HUD-controlled asset providing affordable housing.

  • Represented Roundwood Capital, LLC, a private equity firm, as lead counsel in the sale and leaseback of industrial property in Pennsylvania. 

  • Represented Consolidated Rail Corporation, a publicly-owned American railroad company, as lead counsel in negotiations with Amtrak regarding real estate issues pertaining to the construction of the Point-No-Point bridge linking Essex and Hudson Counties across the Passaic River in Northern New Jersey. 

  • Served as lead eminent domain counsel in Eastern Pennsylvania for development of the Mariner East 2 pipeline project, a 350-mile natural gas liquids pipeline carrying product from the shale fields of Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio to the Marcus Hook complex in Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

  • Represented Century City Realty, LLC on entitlements and approvals under CEQA and municipal law for development of either a 37-story office complex or a 483-unit residential project in the Century City area of Los Angeles.

  • Represented a major Hollywood studio on entitlements and approvals under CEQA and municipal law for an expansion and modernization of its studio campus in Los Angeles.

  • Represented a major shopping center developer on entitlements and approvals under CEQA and municipal law for a new shopping and entertainment complex in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.

  • Represented a leading outdoor advertising company on local and state permits and approvals to install and maintain billboards, as well as assorted related real estate matters.

  • Represented The Newhall Land and Farming Company on entitlements and approvals under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other federal, state and municipal laws for its planned $13 billion, 10,000 acre mixed use Newhall Ranch development in Northern Los Angeles County.

  • Represented a regional health care company on entitlements and approvals under CEQA and municipal law, including a specific plan and environmental review, for its 1 million square foot medical campus expansion.

    • Litigation and Regulatory

  • Represented a large, publicly traded energy infrastructure company on litigation challenging its permits, approvals and business practices, as well as eminent domain matters, in connection with a significant energy transportation project in the Northeast.

  • Represented a leading automobile manufacturer regarding air emissions regulations and fire code compliance across more than 20 U.S. states and municipalities in connection with a series of product recalls and service campaigns.

  • Represented Century City Realty, LLC in litigation to defend land use entitlements from challenges under state and municipal law, and negotiation of settlement agreements with project opponents.

  • Represented a large landowner in litigation to defend against condemnation by state government for a planned high speed rail line.

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • New York
  • New Jersey

Education

  • University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2010
  • Columbia University - Teachers College, M.A., 2006
  • Harvard University, A.B., 2001

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Special Counsel, 2019-present

  • Latham & Watkins
    - Associate, 2010-2019

Honors and Awards

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2024

Selected Publications

Media Hits

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, "Inflation Reduction Act and its Impact on Commercial Real Estate Investment and Development," iGlobal Forum, October 27, 2022
  • Moderator, "Local Law 97 in New York City: First Steps Toward Compliance and Energy Efficiency," Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, July 20, 2021
  • Moderator, "The Biden Infrastructure Plan and Its Impact on the U.S. Real Estate Industry: Seizing Opportunities, Navigating Risk," iGlobal Live, June 15, 2021
  • Moderator, "Local Law 97 in New York City: Energy Conservation Requirements That Open Opportunities," Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, April 20, 2021 
  • Moderator, "NYC Climate Mobilization Act: A Spotlight on Local Law 97," Sustainability Investment Leadership Council, New York, February 20, 2020
  • Discussion Leader, “Sustainable Infrastructure and Transportation,” Sustainability Investment Leadership Conference Event, New York, NY, August 20, 2019
  • Moderator, “Risk Hidden in Plain Sight: Exploring and Understanding the Corporate Supply Chain,” Sustainability Investment Leadership Conference, New York, NY, May 9, 2019
  • Legal Commentator, “Can CEO’s Avoid Politics? Should They?” Sustainability Investment Leadership Conference, New York, NY, May 9, 2019
  • Legal Commentator, “Next Generation Sustainability Leadership,” Sustainability Investment Leadership Conference, New York, NY, May 9, 2019
  • Legal Commentator, “Impact Investing: Measuring Return and Impact,” Sustainability Investment Leadership Conference, New York, NY, May 9, 2019