Corie A. Edwards

TRANSACTIONAL LAW

Corie A. Edwards is a real estate attorney and Partner at Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP, one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s preeminent land use firms.  She is licensed to practice in California and in the State of Washington.

Corie’s practice supports the firm’s real estate development and land use clients, in all sectors of the real estate market. She has been honored to contribute to some of the most transformative projects in San Francisco Bay Area, as well as to smaller-scale developments by some of the Bay Area’s most prolific and well-regarded real estate developers.

Corie’s diverse practice is informed by over 20 years as a litigation attorney, and includes real estate acquisitions/dispositions, development agreements, easements/license agreements, due diligence, construction, insurance coverage, title review and claims management, litigation management, and business formation.  Corie’s unique mix of expertise helps her clients understand and mitigate risk, develop creative deal structures, and prepare & negotiate development-related agreements with local jurisdictions and owners of neighboring properties.

Outside of her legal practice, Corie is an active member of the Urban Land Institute.  She currently serves as a member of the Executive Board for the San Francisco District Council.  Corie is a member of the Commercial Local Product Council (San Francisco District Council) and its past Co-Chair, previously Co-Chaired the ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative in San Francisco, was an Acting Co-Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee and liaison to the Major Programs Committee, a Member of the Programs Committee for the 2015 Fall Meeting, Co-Chair of the Programs Committee for the 2020 Fall Meeting, and was a Member of the 2020 Fall Meeting Host Committee. Corie participated in the development of two of the District Council’s strategic plans.

Corie served the City of San Ramon for nearly 10 years, first as a member and Chair of the Housing Advisory Committee, and later as a member and Vice-Chair of the Planning Commission.

For over 10 years, Corie volunteered to bring ULI’s UrbanPlan to several Bay Area high schools, and has served as a judge for the moot court program at University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco.

EDUCATION

• B.A., 1993, University of California at Riverside (Philosophy-Law and Society and Political Science)
• J.D., 1996, University of California, Colege of the Law, San Francisco (formerly University of California, Hastings College of the Law)

EXPERIENCE/NOTABLE PROJECTS

• Prepared and negotiated purchase agreement, grant documents and other transactional materials for acquisition of San Jose, California, motel property for supportive housing funded by Project Homekey and City grants, slated for future development into mixed-use project that will include supportive, permanently affordable, and market-rate housing.
• Conducted extensive due diligence and prepared purchase documentation for acquisition of San Jose, California, property burdened by Development Agreement and $24,000,000 Proposition 1C Infill Infrastructure Grant; negotiated consents to transfer with State of California Department of Housing and Community Development and Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Jose.
• Evaluated subdivision and parcel maps and other historical documents to identify access rights and emergency vehicle access over private roadway and other private property in unincorporated San Mateo County, in anticipation of potential subdivision and sale.
• Negotiated utility relocation agreements, pursued title insurance claim, and managed associated litigation, following discovery of utilities crossing development site during construction of multifamily housing project in San Francisco, California.
• Completed negotiation of development agreements for sites in Daly City, California, for commercial development.
• Prepared acquisition documents for development site in Oakland, California, including terms for physically moving two existing residential structures to adjacent site.
• Evaluated and negotiated $60,000,000 financing and loan modification documents for Oakland, California multi-family housing projects.
• Negotiated title insurance coverage for various residential and commercial property acquisitions, including selection of policies, evaluation of surveys, removal of exceptions to coverage, and extended coverage endorsements.
• Successfully opposed efforts to enjoin redevelopment of parcels in a shopping center in Contra Costa County, California.
• Negotiated construction contracts for multiple residential and commercial projects, including $25,000,000 residential project, wharf construction project, and assorted tenant improvement projects.
• Represented investment fund in Monterey County, California in pursuit of a judicial foreclosure action and the defense of a companion mortgage fraud claim, concerning commercial property acquired for development.
• Obtained summary judgment and award of attorneys’ fees and costs in favor of property owner on $1.7 million wrongful eviction claim following an owner-move-in eviction in San Francisco, California.
• Prosecuted quiet title lawsuit regarding access easement over 195-acre ranch property in Contra Costa County, California.
• Defended unfair competition action regarding alleged failure to mine construction aggregate from a leased property in Madera County, California.
• Defended commercial property owner in $4.2M mechanic’s lien claim by tenant improvement contractor, following the bankruptcy of tenant.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

• Member of Executive Board, Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2023-present)
• Discovery Facilitator, Contra Costa County Superior Court (2013-2015)
• Moderator, Emerging Trends Focus Group, Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2023)
• Moderator, San Jose Commercial Real Estate Market Update | Living Working and Playing in Downtown San Jose (September 2023)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Planning Commissioner, City of San Ramon (2021-2023)
• Member, Housing Advisory Committee, City of San Ramon (Chair 2017-2021, Member 2015-2017)
• Member of Steering Committee, Housing the Bay, Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2023 and 2023),
• Member of Local Product Council (Commercial), Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2019-present)
• Chair,  Local Product Council (Commercial), Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2021-2023)
• Vice-Chair,  Local Product Council (Commercial), Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2019-2021)
• People’s Choice Nominee, Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2019)
• Host Committee and Co-Chair Programs Committee, Urban Land Institute (2020 Fall Meeting)
• Co-Chair (2013 – 2017), ULI San Francisco, Women’s Leadership Initiative (Programs Committee)
• Member, Strategic Plan Working Group, Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (2016 and 2019)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Member, Urban Land Institute San Francisco District Council (20025-2008 and 2010-present)
• Member, NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association (Washington State Chapter) (2024-present)
• Member, State Bar of California (1996-present) Member of Real Property and Environmental Law Sections
• Member, Washington State Bar Association (2024-present)
• Member, King County Bar Association (2024-present)
• Member, Environmental Law Institute (2013-2014)