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Gregory Markow

Partner

Greg Markow takes a bottom-line and sensible approach to resolving real estate disputes.  Before embarking on costly and lengthy litigation, he examines all options to identify alternative strategies that will achieve his clients' goals.  Greg's perspective about business disputes is predicated on his view that litigation is a business tactic that should be avoided whenever possible.  When litigation is the only option, decisions on how to proceed should be based on a thorough cost-benefit analysis that is sensitive to the specific client's situation and mindful of a potential settlement.

Greg represents real estate investors, owners and property management companies looking to minimize risks that lead to litigation and defending them forcefully when disputes cannot be avoided.  His strengths include:

  • Disputes arising out of broken real estate purchases and sales and investments
  • Disputes arising out of breaches of representations and warranties
  • Building issues related to construction, liens, and easements
  • Commercial property entitlement issues, including CC&R restrictions, changed circumstances, and issues with development
  • Commercial landlord/tenant disputes, including office, retail and industrial leases and fair market value arbitrations
  • Title, zoning, entitlements and boundary disputes
  • Loan workouts, trustee's sales/foreclosures and disputes relating to loan agreements, promissory notes and deeds of trust

Prior to joining CGS3, Greg managed his own law firm and was a partner at Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley LLP, a real property and business boutique law firm in San Diego.  He started his career in Chicago as an attorney at Kirkland & Ellis.  Having devoted his entire career to resolving real estate and business disputes, Greg understands the business of real estate and leverages his deep understanding of and relationships within the commercial real estate sector to add maximum value to CGS3 clients.

Greg has served on, chaired, and provided pro-bono legal advice to several not-for-profit boards of directors and is a former chair of the Real Property Section of the California Lawyers Association. 

Notable Deals/Cases

  • Represents the owners of luxury hotels in San Diego and in Sonoma County in construction related litigation involving multiple parties, complicated insurance coverage and lien issues, and complex expert oversight.
  • Represents the developer of a hotel at the Fifth Avenue Landing in San Diego in connection with a lawsuit seeking to control the development of the convention center in San Diego. The dispute involves decades-long controversy over publicly owned land and attempts to jump-start stalled efforts to develop the site.
  • Represents a hard-money lender in connection with a complex workout involving real property and personal property foreclosures. Worked to overcome vexatious attempts to delay recovery and ensure payment.
  • Represented the owner of a large resort in connection with real estate investments. The case involved complex and novel issues of statutory construction and fact-intensive corporate governance issues.
  • Represented the owner of a large downtown retail center in connection with issues with redevelopment and governing documents. Positioned case for settlement by successfully addressing issues in the governing documents limiting ability to redevelop project consistent with current industry standards to allow development of state-of-the-art retail project.
  • Represented court-appointed receiver in large health and safety receivership spanning multiple residential and commercial properties. Overcame substantial opposition to implementation of mitigation plan to cure zoning and code defects.

Accolades

  • San Diego Super Lawyers, Business Litigation (2017-2023)
  • “Best Lawyers – San Diego,” Real Estate/Construction Litigation Law, The Best Lawyers in America (2022-2023)
  • “Leaders in Law,” San Diego Business Journal (2021, 2023)
  • “Top Influentials,” Daily Transcript (2019)
  • “2017 Top Lawyers,” Business Acquisitions, San Diego Magazine (2017)
  • “San Diego’s Best Attorneys,” SD Metro Magazine (2015-2016)
  • “Top Attorney,” Real Estate & Construction, San Diego Daily Transcript (2015)
  • AV Preeminent Rating, Business Acquisitions / Commercial Disputes / Litigation / Real Property Law, Martindale-Hubbell

Education

  • J.D., University of Chicago
  • B.A., Harvard University

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • Illinois (inactive)

Involvement

  • State Bar of California, Real Property Section, Executive Committee Member and Chair
  • Art of Elan, Board Member and Chair
  • Congregation Beth Israel, Board Member and Treasurer
  • Second Chance, Board Member and Chair
Gregory Markow