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Course Details

Course Information
  • smart_display Format

    On-Demand

  • signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level

    Intermediate

  • work Practice Area

    Real Property - Transactions

Date & Time
  • event Date

    Thursday, June 26, 2025

  • schedule Time

    1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

  • timer Program Length

    90 minutes

Credit Information

  • This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.

$347.00

This course is $0 with these passes:

CLE
ALL

This CLE webinar will examine the new administration's GSA lease termination process and limits to when GSA leases may be terminated. The panel will also discuss what landlords should be doing to mitigate the risk of termination for default or other reasons that may allow for an early lease termination and what remedies landlords may have if a lease is terminated. 

 

Faculty

Gordon Griffin
Partner
Holland & Knight

Mr. Griffin is a government contracts attorney with a practice focused on federal leases and other real estate transactions involving the federal government. Mr. Griffin represents building owners, real estate developers, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and asset managers nationwide in all aspects of U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and other government agency lease procurement and negotiation, lease administration and litigation of government lease disputes. Mr. Griffin is a board member of the Federal Real Property Association and co-author of the Federal Government Real Estate Leasing guide published by LexisNexis, now in its seventh and final edition.

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Michael J. McCarthy
Partner
Morgan Lewis & Bockius Llp - New York

A veteran real estate finance lawyer, Mr. McCarthy advises institutional lenders, borrowers, and investors on a variety of commercial real estate finance and related matters. He represents clients in the acquisition and disposition of real estate and has served as lead counsel on transactions involving a wide range of property types including office, industrial, residential, multi-family, retail, hospitality, and mixed use. Mr. McCarthy also handles real estate capital markets transactions, with a focus on repurchase facilities for borrowers and lenders.

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Ferdinand J. Gallo
Partner
Morgan Lewis & Bockius Llp - New York

Mr. Gallo’s practice covers all aspects of real estate investment, acquisition, development, financing, and disposition. In his 30-plus years of practice, Mr. Gallo has represented clients during all phases of the lifecycle of real property across all asset classes. He regularly represents institutional investors and owners through all stages of project development, including land acquisition, parcel assemblage, formation, and capitalization of real estate investment joint ventures. Mr. Gallo’s experience includes negotiation and documentation of construction contracts and design and development agreements for all real estate asset classes throughout the United States 

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Description

As part of the new administration’s cost reduction efforts, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) have targeted federal government leases in commercial buildings across the country causing concern and confusion for landlords with tenants under GSA leases. 

 While some government contracts allow federal agencies to terminate for convenience, the same is not true of GSA leases. GSA leases typically include two lease terms—the "soft term" during which the GSA may terminate the lease without penalty, and the "firm term" during which the GSA has no right to terminate the lease early unless there is another allowable reason, such as termination for default where the lessor will not or cannot cure. 

Counsel and their landlord clients should understand the impact of these lease cancellations, what they should be doing to mitigate the risk of default or other actions that could allow for lease termination even during the firm term, and what rights they may have when leases are terminated.

 Listen as our expert panel examines the new administration's GSA lease termination process and provides an overview of landlord rights and best practices for risk mitigation.

Outline

I. Introduction: DOGE and GSA lease terminations

A. Policy history: EOs, decisions, rules

B. Purpose

C. Potential market impact

II. GSA lease termination limits

A. Firm term vs. soft term

B. Termination for convenience vs. termination for cause

C. Termination for default

D. Other reasons for termination

III. Landlord risk mitigation strategies

A. Lease review to ensure compliance

B. Maintenance requirements

C. Security measures or services

D. Vacancy clauses

E. Holdover rights

F. Other considerations

IV. Landlord rights upon lease termination

V. Practitioner takeaways

Benefits

The panel will review these and other important considerations:

  •  When and under what circumstances may GSA leases be terminated?
  • What should counsel and landlord clients be doing now to mitigate the risk of a lease termination during the firm term?
  • What remedies do landlords have when GSA leases are terminated?