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Former Arden Realty General Counsel David Swartz expands CGS3’s Southern California footprint and former Mintz Levin Partner Dawn Saunders adds depth in the life sciences sector

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (May 4, 2016) – Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3) announced today the addition of two real estate partners – David Swartz, former general counsel of Arden Realty, Inc. and Dawn Saunders, previously with Mintz Levin – to the ranks of its growing commercial real estate law firm.

Saunders and Swartz are the latest in a series of lateral hires by the three-year-old commercial real estate firm launched by a group of highly regarded attorneys who wanted to build a new type of law firm as a fresh alternative to the “Big Law” business-as-usual model.

Dawn Saunders

“David and Dawn are proof that our vision for innovating the delivery of legal services not only resonates with our client base but also with our colleagues in the legal profession,” said CGS3 partner Sean Southard. “Both are exceptionally talented and will help us to continue to provide a best-in-class experience to clients in California and beyond.”

Over a 20-year legal career, Saunders has concentrated her practice on complex commercial leasing with a focus on technology and biotechnology/life science companies, as well as laboratory and manufacturing facilities. She also has extensive experience with the acquisition/disposition of commercial real estate, including providing oversight of the due diligence process and advice on mergers/acquisitions and the related financing and restructuring implications.

“Dawn elevates our game in the commercial leasing sector and gives us an immediate presence in the key market sectors – technology and biotechnology – that are critical drivers in the San Diego and California economies,” Southard said.

David Swartz

With 25 years of legal experience, Swartz has a background that includes corporate M&A, real estate acquisitions and dispositions, financing, leasing, risk management and litigation. He was most recently with Elkins Kalt and brings with him a diverse client base of institutional and emerging clients in hotel, multifamily, commercial, retail and industrial properties.

During his 10+ years at Arden Realty, Swartz created and led the company’s legal department, managed and negotiated over $6 billion in real estate transactions and was instrumental in orchestrating Arden’s high-profile acquisition by General Electric Capital Corporation. Following the acquisition of Arden by GE Capital, he held executive level and general counsel positions at Safco Capital and Latitude Management Real Estate Investors.

“We are incredibly excited to have David on board to lead our move into Los Angeles,” said Ray Gliner, one of CGS3’s founding partners. “His deep knowledge of commercial real estate law and years of in-house experience brings us a crucial perspective as we strive to proactively handle our clients’ complex and evolving needs.”

Swartz and Saunders bring the total attorney headcount of CGS3 to 17 plus five paralegals.

About Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3)

Since its inception in 2013, CGS3 has quickly established a reputation as one of the leading real estate law firms in Southern California, attracting some of the state’s finest real estate attorneys from both large corporate firms and senior in-house positions.

With practice areas including land use, finance, acquisition/disposition, entity formation, tax, development, leasing, distressed assets and litigation/disputes, CGS3 is located at 12750 High Bluff Drive, Suite 250, San Diego, California 92130 and 2425 Olympic Boulevard, Suite 4000W, Santa Monica, California 90404. For more information, visit www.cgs3.com.

Media contact:  Sydnie Moore (619) 823-8448 Moore2com@gmail.com