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Barbara A. Trachtenberg

BAR-bar-a TRAK-ten-bergPartner
Co-Vice Chair, US Real Estate practice
Barbara is exceptionally smart; she brings a lot of sophistication to deals and has a very strong strategic mind. Barbara continues to impress; she is tireless and provides sophisticated counsel on a range of real estate topics. She is a trusted and go-to adviser.
Sources quoted in Chambers USA
About

Barbara Trachtenberg is a trusted advisor to real estate investors, providing practical, business-oriented solutions in all aspects of real estate transactions.

Barbara's clients include developers, institutional investors, REITs, pension funds and investment advisors who invest in diverse asset classes including office, multi-family properties, retail, industrial, self-storage and data centers, many of whom invest through joint venture transactions.

Her experience includes representing buyers and sellers of CBD office towers, hotels, office buildings, multifamily properties, mixed use projects, data centers and life science assets; representing institutional investors and developer partners in joint venture acquisition, development and financing transactions; structuring transactions for long-term holds, including through ground lease and similar transactions; representing borrowers and institutional lenders in primary, secondary and mezzanine lending for all asset types; and representing landlords and tenants in leasing transactions of office, data center, retail, industrial and laboratory space.

As a Co-Vice Chair of the US real estate practice, Barbara is part of the group's management team and co-chairs the DLA Piper Global Real Estate Summit and DLA Piper Real Estate State of the Market Survey. She also manages the DLA Piper semi-annual Trends Reports.

Bar admissionsMassachusettsNew York

EXPERIENCE

Examples of Barbara's experience include:

  • Represented a US$9 billion pension-held REIT in joint ventures, acquisitions and financings of office, retail, multi-family and self-storage data center properties in major money markets.
  • Represented The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in a joint venture for the ownership of One World Trade Center and related projects at the World Trade Center.
  • Represented the purchaser of three life science buildings in South San Francisco valued in excess of US$1 billion.
  • Represented GI Partners in a joint venture and the US$700+million acquisition of a data center in Sterling, VA and associated CMBS financing.
  • Led the DLA Piper team in the structuring of an initial public offering for an UPREIT.
  • Negotiated transactions on behalf of owners for the lease and operation of Observation Decks.
  • Represented the Borrower in a US$287 million construction loan for the development of two office buildings.
  • Represented Landlord in the negotiation of a 300,000 square foot office lease in downtown Boston.
  • Negotiated office, industrial and retail leases on behalf of landlords in New York, California, Illinois and Massachusetts.
Education
  • J.D., Boston College Law School, 1998, cum laude
    Editor in Chief, Boston College Uniform Commercial Code Reporter—Digest, Lyne, Woodworth & Evarts award for outstanding editorial work on publications
  • B.A., Molloy College, 1995, cum laude

Awards

The Legal 500 United States

  • Leading Lawyer, Real Estate (2021-2024)
  • Recommended, Real Estate (2020)

Chambers USA

  • Band 1, Massachusetts Real Estate (2024)
  • Band 2, Massachusetts Real Estate (2022-2023)
  • Band 3, Massachusetts Real Estate (2012, 2020-2021)
Additional Awards
  • Named in Law.com’s New England Legal Awards as a finalist in the Partner of the Year category (2024)
  • Recognized as a GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum's Women of Influence in the CRE Legal Counsel category (2021)
  • Awarded the Professional Service Award by CREW Boston
  • Named to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly list of Top Women of Law (2016)
  • Named one of the most powerful women in Boston Real Estate by Bisnow (2014)
  • Named to CREW Network's "20 under 40" list (2010)
  • One of only four lawyers named by the Boston Business Journal to its "40 under 40" list, recognizing Greater Boston's next generation of business leaders and innovators (2007)
Clients say (Chambers 2023):
  • "Barbara is extremely well-liked, highly regarded and is an excellent attorney."
  • "A quality lawyer who is at the top of her field."
  • "She is a really smart and strategic lawyer. She has seen a lot and gives a lot of wonderful advice."
Barbara Trachtenberg is highly sophisticated and strategic; she is able to hand anything you give her with ease. A great person to have in your court on competitive bid transactions.
— quotes sourced in The Legal 500 United States

Pro Bono

Barbara helps pro bono clients create, organize and obtain 501c(3) status for various non-profit interests. She also works with non-profits with their real estate needs including tenant leasing, property acquisition and development. She has also assisted pro bono clients in resolving title issues and otherwise managing their real estate.

Bylines

Media Mentions

Teaching Experience

Barbara teaches classes on retail leasing, loan documents, workouts and joint ventures at the MIT Center for Real Estate. 

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Barbara is a Fellow in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
  • CREW Boston; Barbara is a past president of CREW Boston and was CREW Boston’s chapter liaison for the 2009 CREW Convention, held in Boston.

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