With decades of experience, Jennifer Perkins provides practical and insightful legal guidance for real estate transactions throughout the United States. With a focus on leasing transactions on behalf of both tenants and landlords, her projects total millions of square feet, including anchor office leases and retail leases, and involve the real estate side of corporate transactions. Jennifer has worked on some of the largest private-sector leases in the Washington, D.C. region, including a large number of law firm renewals and relocations. She also assists corporate clients with their real property assets as their businesses are sold, merge with, or acquire other companies. She provides advice for tenants’ exit strategies, including negotiated termination agreements and subleasing. Jennifer has consistently been recognized over many years by Chambers USA.
Experience
- Crowell & Moring LLP in connection with its headquarter lease at 600 5th Street, NW, in Washington, D.C. on property owned by WMATA (which lease jumpstarted the commencement of the base building's construction), which deal was selected by Washington Business Journal as the “Best Real Estate Deal” of 2023 and by the Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Association (CREBA) as the 2024 Washington, D.C. leasing transaction of the year. In addition, she assisted in the relocation of the firm’s Chicago office to 2 floors at 300 N. LaSalle Street in 2024.
- An affiliate of CBRE Investment Management in the leasing to American Clean Power Association of the entire office floor (comprising 42,000 square feet), as well as to Finsbury Glover Hering Corporation of a 61,000 square foot office space at The Warner Building at 1299 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.
- Kelley Drye & Warren LLP in negotiating a 65,000 square foot lease for its office relocation to The Wharf district in Washington, D.C. Noted by The National Law Journal as the largest law firm lease in Q3 2023.
- Williams & Connolly LLP in negotiating a 290,000 square foot anchor law firm lease for its office relocation to The Wharf district in Washington, D.C., which was selected by Washington Business Journal as Best Office Lease of 2018. Followed by a full floor expansion in an adjacent tower in 2023.
- Affinius Capital in the negotiation of a multi-floor lease extension and multiple expansions at 700 6th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. to an entertainment and sports provider.
- Events D.C. (the convention and sports authority of the District of Columbia) related to leasing of space at the Convention Center to retailers and business services providers and office space from building owners in Washington, D.C.
- An Urban University in the negotiation of a retail lease for a two-level campus store in a commercial office building in Q4 2022.
- Walker & Dunlop in negotiating its headquarters lease located on three floors at The Wilson, a newly constructed trophy office building in Bethesda, Maryland. Selected by the Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Association (CREBA) as the 2020 Maryland leasing transaction of the year.
- Financial Institution in the negotiation of multiple retail and office leases throughout the country for new developments and existing projects located throughout the U.S., including in Florida, northern and southern California, and New York City and its suburbs.
Perspectives
Recognition
"Top Lawyers" Real Estate (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020)
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1985
- B.A., Haverford College, 1982
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
Clerkships
- Superior Court of the District of Columbia, The Honorable Virginia Riley
Activities
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Member, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) of Washington, D.C.
- Member, Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Association of Greater Washington, D.C. (CREBA)
- Member, Board of Managers of Haverford College
- Primary "pro bono" counsel, Habitat for Humanity of Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia