Jennifer Williams

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 in the 2025 edition of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Aboriginal Law/Indigenous Practice)