Commercial Real Estate Receiverships: Strategies, Challenges, and Opportunities

Aaron Levine | Buchalter

Aaron Levine is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s Los Angeles office. Mr. Levine focuses his practice on all aspects of commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on complex commercial litigation, creditor’s rights litigation, and intellectual property litigation. His extensive litigation experience includes pre-litigation counseling, pre-judgment remedies, extensive law and motion practice, trial/arbitration practice, and post-judgment matters Mr. Levine’s clients include multinational corporations, energy companies, financial institutions, apparel companies, fashion designers, technology companies, alcohol and beverage distributors, cannabis companies, textile manufacturers, small business owners, and court-appointed receivers and fiduciaries.

Mr. Levine was selected by Super Lawyers Magazine as a Rising Star from 2020-2023. He was also named to Best Lawyer’s “Ones to Watch” list in 2024 and 2025.

Prior to law school, Mr. Levine represented Fortune 500 technology companies, international film festivals, and an assortment of celebrities and other media personalities at an award-winning entertainment, lifestyle, and corporate focused public relations firm. Mr. Levine also spent several years as a talent agent at a boutique entertainment agency. In this role, Mr. Levine was charged with routing nation-wide tours and helping nationally recognized recording artists cultivate and develop previously under-utilized revenue streams.

Michael Muse-Fisher | Buchalter

Michael Muse-Fisher represents public and private companies in a variety of state, federal and administrative cases involving contract disputes, commercial litigation, real estate disputes, licensing and intellectual property matters, government tort liability, breach of fiduciary duty, as well as land-related torts. Mr. Muse-Fisher also represents regional and national lenders, banks, financial institutions, and REITs. Mr. Muse-Fisher has extensive experience in secured transactions, creditor’s rights, loan workouts and restructuring, provisional remedies, receiverships, collections and post-judgment enforcement.

Mr. Muse-Fisher was named “One to Watch” from 2022-2025 by Best Lawyers for his work in Commercial Litigation and Real Estate Law.

I. Legal framework and receivership fundamentals | 1:00pm – 1:20pm

• Authority, appointment, and jurisdictional considerations
• Differences between state and federal receiverships
• The impact of the Uniform Commercial Real Estate Receivership Act (UCRERA)

II. Roles and responsibilities of a receiver | 1:20pm – 1:40pm

• Duties, powers, and fiduciary obligations
• Managing tenant and lease agreements in distressed properties
• Compliance with court orders and operational oversight

III. Receivership process and property management | 1:40pm – 2:00pm 

• Key considerations for lenders and creditors
• Stabilizing and maximizing property value under receivership
• Managing vendor contracts and operational challenges

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

IV. Financial and asset management strategies | 2:10pm – 2:30pm

• Mitigating losses and working with secured/unsecured creditors
• Strategies for restructuring distressed assets
• Navigating loan workouts and repositioning properties

V. Disposition and exit strategies | 2:30pm – 2:50pm

• Selling assets out of receivership and maximizing recovery
• Coordination with stakeholders for efficient resolution
• Legal and regulatory challenges in exiting receivership

VI. Litigation risks and emerging case law | 2:50pm – 3:10pm

• Common disputes and risk mitigation strategies
• Recent case law impacting commercial receiverships
• Best practices to avoid legal pitfalls