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Jessica Sheridan

Partner

Ottawa
[email protected]
613.369.4771

Expertise

Ghizlane Labriki

Practice Assistant

Ottawa
[email protected]
613.230.8842
613.237.0234 x30453

Jessica Sheridan has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial real estate with a particular emphasis on development and infrastructure projects. She also has a range of international experience, having practiced in England and New Zealand for over 9 years before returning to Canada and joining BLG.

Jessica has exceptional technical legal skills accompanied by a deep commercial and practical understanding of the industries in which she works. In addition to commercial real estate law, Jessica is experienced in construction, procurement, and municipal law and can draw on her expansive experience to offer clients strategic legal advice on complex projects for both public and private sector clients. Jessica advises on all types of commercial real estate transactions, including complex development projects, infrastructure projects, joint ventures, acquisitions, disposals, financing, leasing, P3 infrastructure projects, rail, waste and wastewater management, affordable housing projects, mining, forestry as well as retail and real estate investment trusts. Jessica is experienced in strategic land assemblies, including large linear assemblies for infrastructure projects and complex land assemblies for a broad range of development projects. She provides advice in relation to procuring construction services and negotiating construction contracts, obtaining severance consents, and opining on complex title matters.

Experience

  • Acts for Metrolinx in connection with linear land assembly and related arrangements for the Ontario Line.
  • Acted for an Ontario Hospital in connection with the reorganization of its P3 Project following the proponent’s insolvency including exercise of step in rights, and assignment and amendment of the Project Agreement to the Surety, drafting complex Minutes of Settlement for approval of the Court.
  • Acted for two hospitals and a university in connection with complex co-ownership, shared services and real estate agreements for a shared hospital and research campus.
  • Acted for the City of Ottawa in connection with the property aspects of the Stage 2 Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project, including the negotiation of the complex agreements with the National Capital Commission, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Algonquin College, Carleton University, the Ottawa McDonald Cartier International Airport Authority, Transport Canada, Leons and the owners of Place d’Orleans, South Keys and Bayshore shopping malls.
  • Advising the City of Ottawa on a complex, multi-party, mixed-use development project in downtown Ottawa to create a new neighbourhood, including a school, recreational facilities, affordable housing, and commercial uses.
  • Advised a global technology company on a project to redevelop its existing campus into a state-of-the-art research and development facility including a complex multi-party agreement for the development, construction and funding of research and development labs, offices, retail parkade and mixed-use components.
  • Acted for the Ottawa Community Lands Development Corporation (OCLDC) in connection with the disposal of surplus land with development obligations.
  • Advising Metrolinx on land acquisitions and assembly of the rail corridor for multiple rail lines, including the relocation of sensitive landowners to turnkey premises, and disposals of surplus lands.
  • Advised a consortium of three Ontario municipalities on the development, construction and procurement of Canada Games Park, a state-of-the-art athletic facility located on Brock University’s Campus in Thorold, Ontario.
  • Advising a not-for-profit affordable housing provider on a joint venture to develop a complex mixed-use development. The project will feature 601 rental housing units, 200 of which will be owned by the affordable housing provider and operated as affordable housing, public space, retail space, a daycare, community hub and on-site programming. The project will be funded by affordable housing programs and requires a novel legal structure.
  • Advised Woolworths on the New Zealand aspects of the creation of SCA Property Group, an independent retail estate investment trust listed on the ASX in December 2012, acting as the landlord and manager of 56 retail properties valued at AUS$1.4 billion in regional and neighbourhood areas, approximately 20 of which were located in New Zealand, including the leaseback and development agreements for each property.
  • Advised Progressive Enterprises on the creation of Vinegar Lane, a large mixed-use development in Ponsonby, Auckland including the subdivision and sale of 31 fee simple lots with design restrictions, and a mixed use building comprising a parkade, retail shopping and office uses.
  • Advised Argosy Properties on the acquisition, development, construction and lease of 15 Stout Street, Wellington, a heritage building that underwent extensive restoration work and green certification and won a number of industry awards.
  • Advised various clients in relation to mining rights.
  • Advised a major forestry fund on the acquisition of major forestry transactions.
  • Advised various municipalities and other public sector bodies on the sale, acquisition, disposal, leasing, development, and co-ownership of land.
  • Advised KiwiRail on mandates including a project to build a development over the busiest rail interchange in New Zealand, the redevelopment of industrial rail yards and other real estate and construction matters.
  • Advised Biffa Waste Services on their portfolio of commercial real estate including the acquisition and development of lands for uses such as Energy from Waste, Materials Recycling Facilities and Anaerobic Digestion Plants.
  • Advised Thames Water Utilities on their disposition and development of surplus lands including complex profit participation and joint venture arrangements.

Beyond our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, Law Society of Ontario
  • Member, County of Carleton Law Association
  • Member, Law Society of England and Wales

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Executive Committee (2020-present)

Bar Admission & Education

  • Ontario, 2016
  • New Zealand, 2014
  • England and Wales, 2007
  • Certificate in Public Procurement Law and Practice, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2019
  • Certificate of Qualification, Federation of Law Societies of Canada, 2015
  • The New Zealand Law and Practice Examination, New Zealand Council of Legal Education, 2014
  • Post-graduate diploma in legal practice (with commendation), University of the West of England, 2007
  • Graduate diploma in law (with commendation), The College of Law, 2007
  • BA (Hons.), Carleton University, 2001