Gary Michael Kaleita

GARY M. KALEITA is a shareholder in the law firm of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. where he practices in the area of real estate development, finance and transactions, commercial leasing, commercial lending and title insurance.  He has been with the firm since 1982 and is currently Chairman of the firm’s Opinions and Standards Committee. 

Mr. Kaleita received his B.A. degree from University of Pennsylvania in 1976, following which he was commissioned as a U.S. Naval officer and served on active duty for 4 years with the U.S. Sixth Fleet while stationed in Italy and Greece.  He received his J.D. degree, with honors, from University of Florida College of Law in 1982, where he was awarded Order of the Coif and served as a legal research and writing fellowship instructor and an appellate advocacy fellowship instructor.  While in law school, he also received a Book Award in the subject of Legislation.

Mr. Kaleita has been Board-certified by The Florida Bar as a specialist in real estate law since 1993.  He is a member of the Seminole County Bar Association and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He is also a member of (and the firm’s representative to) the Metro-Orlando Homebuilders’ Association.  He has been a lecturer for Lorman Educational Services and the National Business Institute on various topics involving real estate law, has been a real estate and business law columnist for a local newspaper, and has been a contributing author to the internet-based legal research and publication services and .

In the area of real estate transactions, Mr. Kaleita has handled purchases, sales and financings of numerous commercial and residential projects in Florida, including office, industrial, retail, multi-family, single-family, resort, hotel and golf course properties.  He has prepared and negotiated contracts for sale and purchase, performed due diligence investigations and handled all aspects of closings, including issuance of owner’s and lender’s title insurance.  He has performed tax free exchanges (both forward and reverse) under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, and has handled closings for housing revenue bond financing transactions with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and various local housing finance authorities. 

As lender’s counsel, Mr. Kaleita has represented numerous Florida and out-of-state lenders making commercial loans secured by Florida real estate, drafted and negotiated loan documents, coordinated and conducted lenders' due diligence activities, including title and survey review, prepared and negotiated legal opinions, and conducted loan closings.  He has also handled the purchase and sale of properties in foreclosure, loan workouts, and the sale of lender-owned real estate assets following foreclosure.

In the area of real estate development, Mr. Kaleita has assisted developers in obtaining land use approvals, plat approvals and permits for various developments from a number of jurisdictions in central Florida, including planned developments (PD’s) and developments of regional impact (DRI’s).  He has drafted and negotiated complex land use documents, including development agreements, cost-sharing agreements, declarations of covenants, conditions, restrictions and easements.  He also has significant experience in mall and shopping center developments, including outparcels.  He has assisted developers with the selection, formation and operation of business entities, including commercial and residential property owners’ associations.  He has extensive experience with both commercial and residential condominiums. 

As a partner of long standing with the firm, Mr. Kaleita has a wealth of expertise and experience in all aspects of sophisticated real estate transactions, and can bring a team of attorneys and paralegals to bear on any real estate law problem faced by a client of the firm.