Richard N. Schermer is a commercial real estate partner at Pathman Lewis, LLP. He is the leader of the firm’s retail development group, a multi-disciplinary, collaborative team of attorneys offering thoughtful and responsive industry-focused service with respect to all areas of retail development including acquisition, development, leasing, financing, land use/zoning, brokering and enforcement of the agreements related to same, for all forms of real estate offering a retail component.
Having practiced law for almost 30 years, he specializes in the area of commercial real estate. Prior to his joining the firm, he led the Florida real estate practice of a large national firm and chaired its National Retail Development Group. He represents developers, investors, lenders and users of commercial real estate (institutional, mid-size and entrepreneurial clients) in the acquisition, financing, development, leasing and sale of shopping centers, office buildings, mixed-use projects, resort properties and single occupancy structures. He also specializes in preparation of restrictive covenants and operating agreements for commercial developments and analysis of title to real estate. His practice includes restructuring and workouts of troubled financing related to these types of projects, representing lenders and owners throughout the process. He is an authorized agent and signatory for several national title insurance companies.
Richard delivers efficient, cost-effective and responsive service to clients in today’s highly competitive environment as a result of his extensive experience and thorough understanding of the commercial real estate business.
Richard has significant experience in sophisticated commercial transactions and particular expertise in the area of retail development and shopping center law. Having negotiated and drafted numerous purchase and sale agreements, financing and CMBS documents, leases (shopping centers, malls, street retail, build-to-suit leases, and ground leases) and reciprocal easement and operating agreements and site development agreements for some of the most prestigious shopping centers in the country, large grocery anchored centers, mixed-use projects and major single tenant projects, he has a deep knowledge of the acquisition, disposition, development and leasing issues, and provides clients entering into these types of transactions with an understanding of the standards and customs associated with obtaining maximum benefits and protections. At the same time, he remains sensitive to the nature of the marketplace and the need to continuously advance toward the closing of a deal.