Caitlin Connell - Coblentz Law

Details

P 415.293.6460

F 415.989.1663

cconnell@coblentzlaw.com

Education

J.D.

University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (2010)
B.A.

University of California, Los Angeles (2006)

Practices

Industries

Caitlin Connell helps her clients manage their real estate needs, advising on commercial leasing relations, purchase and sale transactions, property management arrangements, and wine industry acquisitions and contracts. She negotiates transactions for clients in the tech, bioscience, retail, hospitality, and wine industries, as well as cultural institutions. She leads the diligence and closing of real estate acquisitions and dispositions, with projects spanning from industrial, office, multi-family, and mixed-used, to agricultural and undeveloped land. She represents and advises property owners and tenants regarding leasing, licensing, easements, assignment, subleasing, defaults, disputes, and termination. Caitlin also has significant experience facilitating the financing aspects of real estate transactions. She prides herself on providing thoughtful, highly responsive, and efficient service to her clients.

Prior to specializing in real estate transactions at Coblentz, Caitlin practiced real estate and business litigation. Her experience prosecuting, defending, and resolving legal disputes gives her a unique perspective towards protecting and achieving her clients’ business goals.

Caitlin is Chair of the Commercial Leasing practice area committee of the California Lawyers Association. She formerly served as President and Secretary of Napa County Women Lawyers, and President and Vice President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Napa County Bar Association. She regularly contributes to the firm’s Unfamiliar Terrain real estate blog.

Caitlin earned her J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (Hastings), where she contributed to the UC Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly and was President of the UC Hastings Association of Students for Kids. She earned her B.A. in political science and sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Leasing, Property Management, Service Agreements

Represented Uber in complex lease transaction with OpenAI for approximately 480,000 square feet of office space at Uber’s Mission Bay campus, a deal the San Francisco Chronicle called “one of the most significant transactions to have closed in recent years.”
Represented biotech company in leasing of approximately 60,000 square foot laboratory, warehouse, and office space in Salt Lake City.
Represents publicly traded advertising-technology company in office leasing and subleasing activity in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City.
Member of Coblentz team representing office and retail leasing for East Bay campus owner and operator leasing 6 million+ square feet of office and retail space.
Member of Coblentz team representing South Bay redeveloper leasing 40,000 square feet of new construction retail space.
Represents landlord parties in lease negotiation of Union Square retail space.
Represents publicly traded REIT with leasing of retail space in iconic San Francisco marketplace.
Represents ownership of San Francisco real estate portfolio of 11 multi-family residential properties and retail properties with respect to leasing, property management, and utility licenses.
Member of Coblentz team representing Bay Area developer leasing, acquiring, and managing portfolio of 30 million square feet of office, R&D, multifamily residential, and retail properties.
Represents Bay Area cultural institutions and educational campuses with respect to food service and housing negotiations.

Acquisitions and Dispositions

Represented developer purchasing and investigating undeveloped East Bay waterfront parcels.
Represented the seller agent of 166 Grant Avenue, a high-street retail building located in Union Square.
Member of Coblentz team representing wine brand expanding its portfolio via acquisition of North Bay winery estates.
Member of Coblentz team representing the buyer in the acquisition of a multi-building campus in the metro area of Boston, Massachusetts.
Member of Coblentz team representing the LA Clippers in the negotiation of a Development and Disposition Agreement with the City of Inglewood in connection with the Clipper’s new 18,000 seat arena.

Pro Bono

Counsel for: non-profit civil rights organization; wrongfully discharged military veteran; disabled senior navigating housing grant; non-profit home sharing mission for students.

“Risk Management in Commercial Leases: Insurance, Indemnity & Waiver of Subrogation,” California Lawyers Association Real Property Law Retreat and Women in Commercial Leasing Law Symposium (March 8, 2025)

“UPDATE: San Francisco Empty Homes Tax – Superior Court Judge Strikes Down San Francisco Empty Homes Tax, Grants Challengers’ Motion for Summary Judgment” (November 18, 2024)

“The Impending Real Estate Crisis: Opportunities and Challenges for Real Estate and Restructuring Attorneys and Professionals,” Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum (March 20, 2024)

“UPDATE: San Francisco Empty Homes Tax – San Francisco Superior Court Allows Lawsuit Challenging Tax to Proceed” (December 27, 2023)

“San Francisco Commercial Rents Tax – San Francisco Passes Ordinance to Refund Taxpayer $1.8 Million Overpayment” (November 16, 2023)

“Landlords File Lawsuit Challenging Legality of San Francisco’s Empty Homes Tax” (February 16, 2023)

“Voters Approve San Francisco’s Empty Homes Tax and Oakland’s Expanded Residential Eviction Protections” (November 22, 2022)

“San Francisco Requires 10-Day Warning to Tenants Prior to Eviction Proceedings, and Property Owners File Suit” (April 19, 2022)

“SF Board of Supervisors Pursues COVID-19 Residential Tenant Protections, Adapting to State Law Changes” (September 29, 2021)

“San Francisco Board of Supervisors Adopts Further Commercial Tenant Relief in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic” (July 22, 2021)

“California State Ballot Includes Major Property Tax, Rent Control Measures” (October 9, 2020)

“San Francisco Commercial Eviction Moratorium Applies to Security Deposits” (April 21, 2020)

“California Judicial Council Postpones Residential and Commercial Evictions” (April 13, 2020)

“Update: Emergency Protections in Place for Tenants and Homeowners in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic” (March 31, 2020)

“Emergency Protections in Place for Tenants and Homeowners in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic” (March 19, 2020)