John Wood

John Busey Wood advises public and private companies on real estate acquisitions, facilities management, construction and development, commercial leasing, commercial property management, and litigation.

For more than 40 years, John has represented owners in the design and negotiation of commercial leases exceeding 50 million square feet of retail, office, and mixed-use space projects. He has national experience in developable land, improved property acquisitions and ground leasing, large scale retail and office developments, and leasing and management programs.

John directed the legal team in a national portfolio acquisition program with a value in excess of $2 billion and participated in the development, leasing, and financing of over 4 million square feet of regional shopping malls and retail centers nationwide.

Previously, he negotiated the largest ground/space lease transaction in the history of New York City, containing more than 1.6 million square feet and including “fast-track” rehabilitation, construction lending, permanent financing, and options for fee acquisition.

In addition, John has advised, directed teams, and designed correlated construction contracts for “fast-track” design-build projects, conversions, and renovations in New York City, exceeding 8 million square feet, with values greater than $4 billion.

John also regularly advises cross-border retailers in their U.S.-based business formation and marketing planning. John has represented cross-border retailers in the roll-out of over 160 stores in the U.S. market in the last several years and in the negotiation of commercial leases and construction “fit-out” contracts.

John is currently a member of the Board of Legal Advisors to the Practising Law Institute (PLI), and previously served on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives (NY Chapter), and the Board of Legal Advisors of New York Building Congress.

John frequently lectures at major real estate brokerage firms in New York City, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), the New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate, and PLI, where he is the Chairman of the National Commercial Leasing Seminars.

Education :

• J.D., Washburn University School of Law, 1977
• M.B.A., University of Kansas, Accounting and Management, 1975
• B.B.A., Washburn University, Accounting and Finance, 1973

Bar Admissions : New York; Kansas

Affiliations :

• Practising Law Institute, Commercial Leasing Seminars, Chair; Real Estate Advisory Board, Member
• American Bar Association, Fellow; Commercial Leasing K-4 Committees, Past Chair
• American Management Association, Member
• American Arbitration Association, National Neutral Arbitrator Commercial Panel, Member; National Dispute Resolution Committee, Co-Chair
• Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants, Member
• Soldiers Sailors Airman and Marines Club, Board Member and Assistant Secretary
• Equestrian Club POA, Board Member; Past CEO
• National Eagle Scout Association, Life Member
• Equestrian Club Estates POA, Board Member and President
• Scottish Rite and Masonic Organization, Member
• Sons of the American Revolution, Member
• International Facilities Managers Association (IFMA) – NYC Chapter, Member