MLT AIKINS LLP | MLTAIKINS.COM
Jennifer Williams
Partner • (she/her)

Jennifer is an experienced commercial real estate and development lawyer with a particular focus on acquisitions, dispositions, development, commercial leasing and financing.
Services provided by Jennifer M. Williams Law Corporation
Education & Qualifications
- British Columbia Bar (2003)
- LLB (British Columbia, 2002)
- Studies in Arts (British Columbia, 2002)
Languages
- English

More about me
Jennifer has more than two decades of experience practising commercial real estate and development, real estate transactions, commercial leasing, lending, construction and Indigenous real estate.
Development
- Ownership structures including REITs, Limited Partnerships and Trusts
- Acquisition and disposition of development sites including land assemblies, partially completed projects
- Development of air space parceled mixed-use towers, with educational, retail, commercial and residential shopping centres and purpose rental projects
- Conventional and air space subdivisions for residential, industrial and commercial projects, as well as leasehold stratas and developments on First Nations lands
- Strata/condominium matters, including mixed-use structures and challenges such as common facility uses, cost-sharing and phasing
- Municipal matters including advising on approvals and permits, drafting and negotiating a wide range of covenants, easements and land title encumbrances
- Uniquely challenging development transactions including strata conversions, collapse of stratas and co-ownership properties, fractional interests and distressed properties
- Disclosure statements for phased, fractional, timeshare and conventional/bare-land strata sales.
- Project closing plans including conveyance of completed development lots or interests
Real estate transactions
- Purchase, sale and leasebacks of a wide range of assets including commercial complexes, air space parceled mixed use towers, with educational, retail, commercial and residential shopping centres
- Transactions involving Land Codes, i.e. acquisition of industrial lands from First Nations including Leq’a:mel First Nation pursuant to long-term ground leases
- Unique acquisitions such as acting for developers in taking distressed projects out of CCAA.
- Complex titles such as consolidating time shares, strata conversions, collapsing stratas and land assemblies
- Corporate commercial law, including limited partnership agreements and deal structures as relating to real estate transactions including REITs
- Land Owner Transparency Act filings of Declarations and Reports for complex structures
Commercial leasing
- Acting for tenants and sublandlords for Indigenous land subject to Land Codes with respect to long-term ground leases from CP holders and other stakeholders
- Acting for landlords, tenants, property managers with respect to complex lease transactions for a diverse portfolio or retail, commercial, industrial and resort properties
- Negotiation and drafting of complex commercial lease documents including letters of intent, leases, modifications, renewals and lender non-disturbance agreements
- Large-scale ground leases, leasebacks of major assets including office towers, residential towers and mixed-use projects
- Day-to-day advice regarding lease administration, lease interpretation, lease workouts and enforcement matters
Lending
- Construction and general financing for borrowers and a diverse range of lenders from major institutional lenders to mortgage investment corporations and private lenders
- Private lending on complicated private loan structures and fundings
- Acting for borrowers, institutional on secured debt financings, construction lending, asset-based lending, lease financing, real estate backed financing, including CMHC-backed loans such as the MLI Flex finance program for market rental projects
- Real estate-based financing transactions including construction and project financing
Construction
- Acting primarily for developers, builders and owners in negotiating and administering construction
- Management, general contracting and subcontract agreements including CCDC agreements and associated supplemental conditions, and contracts with various consultants including architects and engineers
Indigenous real estate
- Complex developments on Indigenous lands including those subject to Land Code
- Partnerships and joint ventures with Indigenous communities and Indigenous owned business corporations for development of a wide range of projects including residential, mixed use, industrial, modular and recreational sites
- Leasing of Indigenous Lands to third party users including for industrial, recreational and residential use
- Acquisition and sale of long term leases from CP Holders and other Indigenous stakeholders and Indigenous-owned business corporations
- Corporate matters for housing corporations and homeowner associations for developments situated on Indigenous-leased lands
- Mondaq Thought Leader, Real Estate and Construction, Canada (2024)
- Canadian Bar Association Representative, Land Title and Survey Authority Stakeholder Committee
- Member, Real Estate Committee, Canadian Bar Association
- BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) Technical Working Group
- Former Chair and Legislative Liaison, Real Estate Subsection, Canadian Bar Association (2004-2009)
- Member, Residential Conveyance Working Group, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Women Sub-Committee, MLT Aikins DEI Committee
- Volunteer, Lawyers Assistance Program of British Columbia
- Member, Law Society British Columbia
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- CREW Vancouver
- Volunteer, North West Vancouver Ringette Association
- Volunteer, West Vancouver Minor Hockey Association
- Former Trustee, Vancouver Waldorf School (2015-2022)
- Director and Founder, Anaya’s Angels (Krabbe Leukodystrophy) (2010-2014)
- Presenter, “Building a Better Future: Indigenous Construction & Real Estate,” Forward Summit West Coast (October 2024)
- Co-chair, “Indigenous Real Estate 2024,” CLE Continuing Legal Education Course (May 2024)
- Co-chair, “Real Estate Commercial Lending 2023”, CLE Continuing Legal Education Course (October 2023)
- Author, “Registration of Leases,” Commercial Leasing- Annotated Precedents, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Colombia (2012)
- Author, “Real Property Chapter,” Annual Review of Law & Practice, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Colombia (2012)
- Author, “Real Property Chapter,” Annual Review of Law & Practice, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Colombia (2011)
- Contributor, “Conveyancing Deskbook,” CLE BC Update (2012)
- Author, “Buying Time: Rent Relief Agreements,” Blakes Bulletin on Real Estate (April 2009)
- Author, “Help! Why Doesn’t My Lease Match My Offer?” International Council of Shopping Centres
- Author, “Green Building Designations for Greenhorns: Leed vs. Boma Go Green,” International Law
- Author, “Fair Market Renewal Rent – What’s Fair When The Tenant Isn’t Going Anywhere?” International Council of Shopping Centers Law Conference Materials (Toronto March 2008)
- Author, “Illegal Drug Manufacturing Operations: Growing Liability for Property Owners/Managers,” Morguard Investments Legalease (June 2008)
- Author, “Illegal Drug Manufacturing Operations: Growing Liability for Property Owners/Managers,” Blakes Bulletin (November 2007)
- Co-author, “Risky Business: Insurance Clauses in Commercial Leases,” Canadian Property Management (October 2006)
- Co-author, “Turning Brownfields Into Green,” Blakes Bulletin (March 2006)
- Author, “January 1, 2006: The Sky is NOT Falling on BC Strata Rental” (January 2006)
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada – Aboriginal Law/Indigenous Practice (2025)