Stephen I. Burr Highlights
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Education
Boston College Law School
- J.D., magna cum laude
- Order of the Coif
- Editor, Boston College Law Review "Environmental Affairs"
Lawrence University
- B.A., with distinction
Bar and Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
Practice Focus
Mr. Burr represents real estate developers, real estate operating companies and owners or managers of real-estate based businesses (e.g. hotels, senior living facilities, casinos) in the full range of real estate development and operating issues, including:
- Land acquisition and land assemblage
- Title and survey issues
- Permitting and planning requirements, including zoning, MEPA and NEPA proceedings
- Environmental site assessments and remediation
- Local Government Agreements
- Private property tax and payment in lieu of property tax agreements
- Architect and construction contracts
- Construction lending
- Leasing
- Permanent financing
- Debt-equity joint ventures, mezzanine debt and preferred equity structures
Mr. Burr also has significant experience in all aspects of real estate debt and equity structures, representing real estate fund sponsors, real estate owners and real estate debt and equity capital providers in complex initial capitalization or subsequent recapitalization structures, including private placements.
Mr. Burr also represents foreign and domestic individual and institutional investors in the acquisition of U.S. commercial real estate and oil and gas assets across the United States.
Notable Experience
Mr. Burr currently represents the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe as primary business and real estate counsel in the Tribe’s development of a destination resort casino in Taunton, Massachusetts, pursuant to the Massachusetts Gaming Act and the federal Indian Gaming Regulation Act. This $750,000,000 project will include a class-3 150,000 square foot full service casino, three 300-room hotels, meeting rooms and entertainment venues, and a state of the art indoor-outdoor waterpark. Representation includes land assemblage, permitting, design and construction, leasing and financing, as well as private agreements with the City of Taunton and Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Mr. Burr has also represented the owners/developers of the following significant commercial real estate development projects, among others:
- Represented Delaware North Companies in the construction of the new Boston Garden sports and entertainment facility, home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, in air-rights above the North Station commuter rail facility in Boston.
- Represented the developer of the Brighton Landing project in Brighton, Massachusetts, a 1,000,000 square foot mixed-use development project anchored by the world headquarters of New Balance Athletic and the WGBH (PBS) television and radio principal production and broadcast facility.
- Represented major hotel owner/operator in the construction of the centerpiece hotel at the 7000 acre World Golf Village development in St. Augustine, Florida, including the PGA World Golf Hall of Fame.
Background
Mr. Burr served in the United States Air Force as a Special Agent in the Office of Special Investigation (OSI) from 1969-1973, and was honorably discharged in 1973 with the rank of Captain.
During the period 1985-1987 Mr. Burr was Executive Vice President, Head of Commercial and Residential Mortgage Lending, and a Director of Yankee Bank for Finance and Savings, FSB in Boston.
Mr. Burr was a founding shareholder, director and counsel to Raycom Media, a multi-billion dollar broadcasting company, in conjunction with the Retirement Systems of Alabama from 1996-1999.
From 1997-1999 Mr. Burr was a member and then Chair of the City of Gloucester, Massachusetts, Conservation Commission.
Professional Activities
Real Estate Investment Securities Association
- Member, Ethics and Standards Committee
- Chair, Lawyers Committee on Best Practices
- Frequent speaker and moderator on industry panels with respect to real estate private placements
Member, Pension Real Estate Association
Member, Independent Petroleum Producers Association
Publications
Regular Columnist, “Practitioners Corner”, Journal of Real Estate Finance 2009-2012
“Some Simple Rules for Oil and Gas Private Placements; Oil and Gas Financial Journal, May 2010
The Real Estate Investment Security Industry: What to Expect in 2010, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 26, No. 5, February 2010
The New FINRA Rule 5122—A New Approach to Market Regulation?, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 26, No. 6, April 2010
Practitioner’s Corner: An Interesting Time for Real Estate, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 27, No. 1, June 2010
Practitioner’s Corner: Structuring Two Important Real Estate Finance Transactions, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 27, No. 2, August 2010
Practitioner’s Corner: The Dodd-Frank Act, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 27, No. 3, October 2010
Practitioner’s Corner: Be Careful What You Wish for—The Return of the CMBS Market, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 27, No. 4, December 2010
Practitioner’s Corner: Enforcement of the Carve-Out Guaranty, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 27, No. 5, February 2011
Practitioner’s Corner: Rebuilding the Residential Mortgage Market, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 27, No. 6, April 2011
Practitioner’s Corner: Buying and Selling Distressed Commercial Mortgage and Commercial Real Estate Assets; Whither Will Rating Agencies Go?, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 28, No. 1, June 2011
Practitioner’s Corner: Reserving Mineral Rights upon Transfer of Real Estate, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 28, No. 2, August 2011
Practitioner’s Corner: The Coming DC Plan Avalanche; Direct Real Estate Investments, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 28, No. 3, October 2011
Practitioner’s Corner: Where Are the Project Finance and P3 Transactions?, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 28, No. 4, December 2011
Practitioner’s Corner: Remember Commercial Real Estate Lending?, Real Estate Finance, Vol. 28, No. 5, February 201
Presentations
"Casino Permitting in Massachusetts." November 7, 2012, Law Seminars International 4th Annual Intensive Seminar on Recent Developments Under MEPA & NEPA: New Requirements and Compliance Strategies.
Honors and Awards
Designated numerous years as a “Best Lawyer in America”, including 2010 - 2013
Designated numerous years as a “Massachusetts Super Lawyer” including 2010 - 2011
Martindale-Hubble Peer Review Rated “AV Preeminent” 2010-2011