John Lee Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, Ca, Us

San Francisco

Every Sonder, from a studio to a six bedroom, has been purposefully designed and outfitted as an entire living space with the amenities of a home. Whether your stay is two days, two months or two years, Sonder ensures a unique, yet consistent experience. Comfortable beds, nice linens, soft towels, and well-chosen amenities and essentials. We also made the service really simple. If there’s anything you need, just text us, 24 hours a day. Sonders are located in the kinds of vibrant neighborhoods where we ourselves want to live, in cities across North America and Europe. To date, Sonder has hosted hundreds of thousands of guests in over 20 cities and attracted over $400 million in investor funding.

Santa Monica

Senior In-house Counsel of publicly traded REIT owning over 18 million square feet of Class A commercial office and retail properties in Los Angeles and Honolulu.Practice focuses on drafting and negotiating commercial office and retail leases (e.g., new leases, subleases, renewals, amendments, extensions, expansions, reductions, terminations, assignments and assumptions, tenant/landlord work letters, demand letters, dispute workouts after surrender), non-disclosure agreements, estoppels, lender consents, and SNDAs. Collaborate with senior corporate real estate managers and provide advice pertaining to transaction management, facilities management, project management, risk management, general matters of real estate, legal process, and regulatory compliance.Manage 3 senior attorneys, 3 junior attorneys, and 2 paralegals.

Los Angeles

Associate General Counsel of publicly traded bank with over $13 billion in assets operating in California, Washington, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, New York and New Jersey. Manage and direct all legal affairs related to the Bank’s corporate real estate matters, including commercial office and retail leasing in 9 states (California, Washington, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, New York and New Jersey).Draft and negotiate all commercial office and retail leases (e.g., new leases, subleases, renewals, amendments, extensions, expansions, reductions, terminations, tenant/landlord work letters, dispute workouts after surrender), license agreements, broker agreements, architect and general contractor agreements, purchase and sale agreements, easements, non-disclosure agreements, estoppels and SNDAs. Counsel commercial lenders with emphasis in real estate secured transactions (including construction lending, participations, syndications, ground lease finance, SBA), environmental risk, and underwriting of borrowers; advise corporate real estate department in retail and office leasing, tenant improvements, construction contracts, zoning, purchase and sale, and title matters; liaison attorney for loan documentation/loan operations, special assets (bankruptcy), vendor contracts and risk management, marketing, ADA and website accessibility, social media, compliance and BSA/AML, mortgage, credit card, treasury, cash management, and mergers and acquisitions.Handle all aspects of litigation including selection of counsel, strategy, discovery, and budgeting; Serengeti manager (e-billing and outside counsel management).Manage legal process (3 direct reports) and 2 paralegals.

Los Angeles

Practice focuses on advising business units in credit risk management, regulatory and compliance (safety and soundness), credit policy, lender liability, loan workouts, restructurings, development of business products, marketing and advertising, consumer protection laws, regulatory bank examinations and internal audit, corporate governance, labor/employment, ADA, environmental risk, information and data security, litigation, corporate communications, and responses to customer complaints.Transaction experience includes a wide array of secured and unsecured commercial financings, real estate secured transactions, vendor contracts, licenses, joint venture agreements, broker agreements, service agreements, and sponsorship agreements. For over 3 years, sole attorney providing legal advice and support for the Bank’s corporate real estate portfolio comprising of over 5 million square feet of leased and owned retail and office space in 6 states. Drafted and negotiated all commercial office and retail branch leases, amendments, subleases, license agreements, termination agreements, estoppels, subordination and non-disturbance agreements, tenant work letters, non-disclosure agreements, purchase and sale agreements, easements, and other complex and day-to-day contracts. Lead counsel to Credit Documentation Forum (loan documentation forms, drafting/revising internal procedures) and Credit Policy Forum (analyzing changes in law, drafting/revising credit policy, preparing memoranda to business units).

Los Angeles

Counsel for institutional lenders and national banks in real estate secured transactions (mortgage loan securitization, construction, bridge, and mezzanine loans) totaling in excess of $300 million in 10-month period, including retail, office, multi-residential, industrial, and mixed-use projects.Responsibilities involve all aspects of real estate transactions, including commercial leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, land use, joint ventures, and other real estate-related matters. Named a “Rising Star” (2007) in Los Angeles Magazine’s Super Lawyers.

Orange County, California Area

Frequently perform as lead trial counsel in wide range of commercial disputes, including claims of unfair competition, breach of contract, secured lender remedies (foreclosure/receivership), business torts, and false advertising.Perform all aspects of litigation, including preparing complaints and answers; developing strategy; taking/defending depositions; preparing and responding to written discovery; conducting factual investigations; arguing numerous motions, including summary judgment motions; mediations and arbitrations; preparing appellate briefs; and enforcing judgments.Named a “Rising Star” (2004-2006) in Los Angeles Magazine’s Super Lawyers.

Los Angeles

General business and real estate litigator at both the trial and appellate level. Drafted motions, pleadings, research memoranda; argued motions; conducted affirmative and defensive discovery; witness interviews; conducted/defended depositions; prepared jury instructions, and trial/arbitration briefs; and drafted settlement agreements.

Greater San Diego Area

Successfully completed 14 jury and bench trials as lead defense counsel in 18 month period. Eight contested jury cases resulting in 6 full acquittals; six bench trials resulting in 3 full acquittals on charges including rape, indecent assault, child sex abuse, narcotics, check fraud, larceny, conspiracy, and assault. Performed over 30 sentencing cases.Defended over 50 clients at contested administrative (employment termination) discharge boards on allegations including drug use, assaults, and other employee misconduct.

Jd, Law

B.A. Social Ecology, Criminology And Legal Studies

Education record