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Jillian Karras

Senior Associate

Vancouver
[email protected]
604.640.4068

Expertise

Vanessa Fotia

Practice Assistant

Vancouver
[email protected]
604.687.5744

Jillian (Jill) has in-depth expertise in commercial real estate law, with a focus on acquisitions/sales and commercial leasing and real estate-based financing.

Jill’s diverse client base includes real property and commercial developers, landlords, tenants, chartered banks, corporations, and institutional and private lenders.

She leads major acquisition, financing, development, restructuring, and securitization deals, offering strategic advice to her clients.

Prior to joining BLG, Jillian practiced real estate law in the Vancouver and Calgary offices of a global law firm.

Experience

  • Working on the largest residential development project in the history of the City of Vancouver.
  • Acting for Alterra Mountain Company through the complex acquisition of Mike Wiegele Heli-Skiing, ensuring a smooth transition and handling a significant real estate component.
  • Assisted a large real estate investment, development and management company to streamline and manage real estate leasing at premier shopping centers in BC and Alberta, enhancing tenant relations and optimizing property utilization.
  • Played a pivotal role in a development project, overseeing all real property aspects of this historic First Nations real estate development, the largest in Canadian history, to ensure successful and culturally respectful progress.
  • Vendors and purchasers of office buildings, industrial and commercial properties (including shopping centres) and residential properties in British Columbia and Alberta.
  • Developers of mixed-use and multi-family projects in British Columbia and Alberta.
  • A major office, retail and industrial tenants and landlords in lease negotiations, including a large national retail store in connection with its locations across Canada.
  • The Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation on its construction and operation of the new Event Centre and negotiating agreements with affiliated parties.
  • A worldwide charitable organization on the leasing, subleasing, licensing and development matters relating to facilities located on municipal lands.
  • Alvarez & Marsal Canada Inc., as the court appointed receiver and manager of a large privately-owned real estate company (Reid Investments), on the sale of assets and combined debt of C$250 million, including land development issues, and the sale of residential homes, office buildings and bare lands.
  • A private corporation appointed to monetize assets for investors pursuant to the terms of a CCAA proceedings, on development, leasing and utilities matters.
  • A publicly traded LNG company on its acquisition of an oil and gas corporate entity.

Awards & Recognition

  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada® as “Ones to Watch” (Commercial Leasing Law, Real Estate Law) and in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada® "Ones to Watch" (Real Estate Law)

Bar Admission & Education

  • British Columbia, 2016
  • Alberta, 2016
  • J.D., Thompson Rivers University, 2015
  • International Business Certificate (Distinction), Grenoble École de Management, 2011
  • B.B.A. (Hons.), Simon Fraser University, 2010