John D. Muir

How John Helps Clients

John serves as a trusted advisor to investors, developers, private equity firms, and lenders with regard to real estate investments, joint ventures, commercial financing transactions and ground leasing. He is a problem solver who uses his expertise to help his clients reach their business objectives.

From national institutional investors and asset managers to regional investor groups and individual owners, John supports a range of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, leasing, dispositions and financings of office buildings, hotels, shopping centers, multi-family residential projects and mixed-use development projects.

John counsels institutional private equity funds on individual and programmatic debt and equity investments. He also represents national and international lenders in senior and mezzanine acquisition, construction and bridge loans, and refinancing of all real estate asset types across the country. John also works with clients in the formation of real estate investment funds, and advises on the acquisition of distressed real estate assets. His experience includes negotiating management contracts, resolving partnership and management issues. He also represents investors, commercial lenders and borrowers in loan workouts and enforcement proceedings. In addition, John provides general advisory services to investment advisors and developers.

John has been named to the Best Lawyers in America list for Real Estate Law consecutively since 2018. He serves as outside counsel on a pro bono basis for DC SAFE (Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment), a non-profit organization that provides shelter and a comprehensive, coordinated network of care to survivors of domestic violence.

What Clients Can Expect

John is known for his business-oriented approach and is often told he is the most practical attorney with whom his clients have worked. He is skilled at not only guiding his clients through complex real estate transactions, but also at identifying and mitigating risks to ensure his clients are protected from start to finish.

Outside the Office

John loves to play racquet sports, including tennis and paddle tennis, and he is always looking for opportunities to sail.

Proof Points

• Represented Marymount University in multiple real estate transactions, including the development of its new academic building and the ground leasing and later, the acquisition and financing of its new high-rise residential apartment building known as The Rixey in Ballston, Virginia.
• Represented a large institutional investor in multiple land acquisitions and ground leases involving a wide array of transactions, including acquisitions and recapitalizations of hotels, office buildings, multi-family apartment buildings and development projects.
• Represented a private equity fund in the joint venture and subsequent acquisition and financing of the El San Juan Hotel and Casino in Carolina, Puerto Rico.  Served as lead counsel to the joint venture owner in connection with the ongoing business operations of the hotel.
• Served as local and real estate counsel in connection with the refinancing of Audi Field and related DC United assets.