Background

Morty Gross is a senior partner at our Toronto office. He graduated from the University of Toronto Law School Program in 1965 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1967. Prior to joining Borden Ladner Gervais, Morty practised at his own firm where he specialized in real estate law.

Morty has chaired numerous firm committees and currently chairs the National Public-Private Infrastructure Projects Group.

Areas of Practice

• Commercial Law, including Proposal Calls, Public/Private Partnerships, Acquisitions and Dispositions, Restructurings, Leasing, Joint Ventures and Financings and other commercial and commercial real estate matter.

rankings and recognitions

• Recognized in the 2011 edition of Chambers Global – The World's Leading Lawyers for Business (Real Estate)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rating
• Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012 (Real Estate Law)
• Recognized in The 2012 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (Property Development)
• Recognized in the 2011 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Property Development)
• Recognized in the Euromoney Legal Group's Guide to the World's Leading Real Estate Lawyers
• Recognized in the International Who's Who of Real Estate Lawyers

Professional Experience

• Generally, Morty acts in connection with:
  • acquisitions and dispositions
  • long term lease arrangements and mixed use developments
  • joint ventures, partnerships and other business entities
  • "public-private" transactions
  • financings and other commercial and commercial real estate matters
• Represents developers involved in constructing condominium projects involving residential/commercial space.
• Acts for both public and private entities in public-private partnerships in matters that have included structuring the financing of a water pipeline, creation of a toll highway and the privatization and creation of sewage and water facilities.
• Acts for purchasers and vendors in the acquisitions and dispositions of major shopping centres and office buildings.
• Advises of matters involving proposal calls involving the resolution of environmental law solutions, long-term lease arrangements, mix-use developments and reciprocal agreements involving the acquisition of office/retail buildings and hotels, finance arrangements and other similar arrangements.
• Acted for a major pension fund in the acquisition of all outstanding shares of a prominent real estate corporation.
• Works closely with litigation and corporate practice groups in connection with settlements and corporate structurings.

Professional and Community Activities

• Trustee of InnVest REIT (a hotel REIT) and Chair of Corporate Governance and Human Resources Committees.
• Director and Chair of Corporate Governance and Human Resources Committee of Cadillac Fairview Corporation (1996-2002).
• Chair of National Real Estate Professional Group of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.
• Member of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy relating to public-private partnerships involving municipalities, particularly related to water and waste water.
• Participant at Ontario SuperBuild Corporation's (Ministry of Finance) Round Table on public infrastructure and public-private partnerships.