Bryan Helfer

Bryan has more than 10 years of experience representing clients in commercial and residential real estate development and investment. He has experience representing private developers, foreign investors and businesses of varying sizes, including Fortune 20 companies, real estate investment firms and small, family-owned organizations. Bryan’s practice includes acquisitions, dispositions, debt and equity financing, business organization, joint venture partnerships and representing landlords and tenants in leasing office, technology, industrial and retail properties.

Prior to joining Foster Pepper, Bryan practiced at Pircher, Nichols and Meeks in Chicago where he represented private equity clients on large-scale portfolio transactions.

Representative Work

Representative Transactions: Acquisitions, Dispositions and Leases

Represented clients in acquisition, financing, development and sales of properties, including:
- Represented developer in sale of commercial and office property for $251 million to California-based investment management firm
- Represented developer in acquisition, development and sale of 451-unit multifamily property for $172 million to California-based investment fund
- Represented developer in sale of office property for $106 million to publicly traded office REIT
- Represented developer in sale of bio-medical property for $89 million to publicly traded office REIT
- Represented developer in acquisition of property assemblage for $71 million in South Lake Union, Washington
- Represented retail client in opening of headquarters and leasing of new stores throughout Western Washington
- Represented international clients in acquisition, development and financing of residential, office and storage properties throughout Washington state

Represented Fortune 20 Companies in acquiring, developing and selling real estate facilities, including:
- 1.25 million square foot expansion of office headquarters
- Complex sub-ground lease transaction of 40-acre site for multi-use redevelopment with Edmonds School District
- Opening of new stores and expansion of new business facilities in West Coast markets
- Leases with industrial developers to open cutting-edge operational facilities across the country

Represented developers, joint venture partners and lenders in a variety of commercial real estate transactions, including:
- Represented private equity client with due diligence on $39 billion buyout of Equity Office Properties, the nation’s largest office landlord
- Represented publicly traded REIT in $1 billion acquisition of nationwide senior housing portfolio
- Represented borrower in $400 million revolving credit facility covering more than 25 properties
- Represented developer in acquisition, development, joint venture and sale of $130 million multifamily property
- Represented lender in restructure of $74 million mezzanine financing for hotel project in Seattle, Washington
- Represented lender in $41 million mezzanine loan financing for mixed-use project in Rockville, Maryland
- Joint venture transaction for development of a boutique hotel in South Lake Union, Washington

Activities

Leadership Tomorrow

Class of 2017
Coach, Class of 2018

MarketShare, Board of Directors, 2017-2019

Maple Leaf Community Council

Board of Directors, 2017-Present
Co-President, 2019-Present

Seattle University, Adjunct Professor, 2011-2012

The Service Board, Board of Directors, 2011-2014

Publications

Confidentiality Agreements in the Current Marketplace: A Carve-out to Permit Debt Investments As an Alternative to Equity Investments

Author, Pircher, Nichols & Meeks Legal Update - February 4, 2009

Presentations

Current Trends in Purchase and Sale Agreements

Speaker, Foster Pepper 2015 Land Use/Real Estate Briefing: Essential Industry Updates, October 2015

Washington State Hospitality Law Manual, Third Edition

Associate Editor and Presenter, 2012

Acquisitions of Distressed Debt and REO Properties

Speaker, WSBA Spring RPPT Real Estate Seminar, 2011

Real Estate (Chair)Commercial & Real Estate Finance

Contact

Tel: 206.447.6218Fax: 206.749.2122bryan.helfer@foster.com

Education

J.D., The University of Michigan Law School, 2006

Michigan Journal of Race & Law, Contributing Editor
Russell Lee Rua Scholarship, University of Michigan Law School

Japanese Language Degree (Shuryo Sho Mei Sho), Keio University (Tokyo, Japan), 2002

B.A., University of California at Los Angeles, 2000

Duke Kahanamoku Scholarship, University of California at Los Angeles

Bar Admissions

Washington, 2010

Illinois, 2006

Experience

Foster Pepper PLLC

Member, 2015-Present
Associate, 2010-2014

Pircher, Nichols & Meeks (now White & Case LLP) (Chicago, IL), Associate, 2006-2009

Cades Schutte LLP (Honolulu, HI), Summer Associate, May 2005-August 2005

Alaska Legal Services Corporation (Anchorage, AK), Summer Intern, June 2004-August 2004

Berlitz (Tokyo, Japan), English Instructor, 2001-2003

Languages

Japanese, basic