About
John Busey Wood advises public and private companies on real estate acquisitions, facilities management, construction and development, commercial, hospitality, retail, and ground leasing, commercial property management, and brokerage. For more than 45 years, John has represented owners in the design and negotiation of commercial leases exceeding 100 million square feet of retail, office, and mixed-use space projects. He has national experience in developable land, improved property acquisitions and ground leasing, large scale retail and office developments, commercial lease fair market determinations, arbitrations and expert witness services, and national commercial leasing and management programs.
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John directed the legal team in a national portfolio acquisition program with a value in excess of $2 billion and participated in the development, leasing, and financing of over 4 million square feet of regional shopping malls and retail centers nationwide. Previously, he negotiated the largest ground/space lease transaction in the history of New York City, containing more than 1.6 million square feet and including “fast-track” rehabilitation, construction lending, permanent financing, and options for fee acquisition. In addition, John has advised, directed teams, and designed correlated construction contracts for “fast-track” design-build projects, conversions, and renovations in New York City, exceeding 8 million square feet, with values greater than $4 billion.
John also regularly advises cross-border retailers in their U.S.-based entry and business formation and leasing. John has represented cross-border retailers in the roll-out of over 230 stores in the U.S. market in the last several years and in the negotiation of commercial leases and construction “fit-out” contracts.
John is currently a member of the Board of Legal Advisors to the Practising Law Institute (PLI), and previously served on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives (NY Chapter), and the Board of Legal Advisors of New York Building Congress. John frequently lectures at major real estate brokerage firms in New York City, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), the New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate, and PLI, where he is the Chairman of the National Commercial Leasing Seminars. John is also a member of the American Arbitration Association Complex Commercial Neutral Panel.
Practices
Real Estate
Admissions
New York
Education
Washburn University School of Law, J.D., 1977
University of Kansas, Accounting and Management, M.B.A., 1975
Washburn University, Accounting and Finance, B.B.A., 1973
Affiliations
Practising Law Institute, Commercial Leasing Seminars, Chair; Real Estate Advisory Board, Member
American Bar Association, Fellow; Commercial Leasing K-4 Committees, Past Chair
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Member
American Arbitration Association
Complex Commercial Neutral Panel, Member
Construction Panel, Member
Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants, Member
Boy Scouts of America, Westchester Putnam Counsel Board of Advisors
National Eagle Scout Association, Life Member
Scottish Rite and Masonic Organization, Member
Sons of the American Revolution, Member
Honors and Distinctions
American Bar Association Foundation, Peer Elected Fellow
Super Lawyers Magazine, 2015-2025, Listed in New York for Real Estate
Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rated
Martindale-Hubbell, Distinguished Lawyers
The Legal 500 2012, Recommended for Real Estate
Certified Public Accountant, 1978
Experience
Partner, Akerman LLP, 2011-2026
Senior Partner, Thompson & Knight, LLP, 2007-2011
Founding Partner, Sussman Sollis Tweedy & Wood, LLP, 1994-2007
Associate, Marshal Bratter Greene Allison & Tucker, 1980-1983
Assistant General Counsel, Fisher Brothers, 1978-1980
Assistant Attorney General of Civil Division/Intern/Clerk, Kansas State Attorney General, 1975-1978
Associate and Auditor, State of Kansas Legislative Division Post Audit, 1972-1975
Adjunct Professor of Accounting, Washburn University School of Business, 1973-1976
Notable Work
Grumman Aerospace Center: Represented owner/builder Evangelista Enterprises on long-term ground lease “build-to-suit” for Grumman Aerospace Center in Bethpage, Long Island, New York.
Oncogene Science Center: Represented owner/builder North Shore University for long-term ground lease and “turnkey” construction of Oncogene Science Center advanced medical research installation.
2 Broadway: Represented Metropolitan Transportation Authority/NY Transit Authority/TBTA on long-term ground lessee for two million square foot “turnkey” total re-construction and expansion of 2 Broadway with base building core and shell full financing imbedded loan.
Manufacturing and Distribution Complex: Represented ground Lessee/Swedish Pharmaceutical Company for Long Term Ground Lease and construction of manufacturing and distribution complex.
Staten Island Development: Represented ground lessee/Developer BFC Partners LLC on long-term ground lease for development of a premium outlet mall, banquet center and hotel on Staten Island.
New York Ground Lease: Represented governments and private users in long-term ground lease complex development of over two million square feet in New York City.
California Retail Mall: Represented PIMCO and joint venture partners in a ground-up retail center creation and retail leasing.
Industrial: Represent owners in acquisition, construction, and management of industrial warehouses and industrial manufacturing and shipping complexes.
Hospitality: Represent owners in the negotiation of hotel purchase, construction and management agreements, restaurant and catering agreements, and design-build construction agreements.
Fast Track: Represent owners, builders, and developers in the assemblage fast-track design-build, and project administration on over 20 million square feet of office, mixed-use, and retail space.
Expert Witness and Arbitrator: Provide professional services for construction, ground leasing, and design-build related disputes.
Cross-Border Transactions: Represent international retailers in cross-border transactions related to the rollout of over 200 retail stores in the United States.
Presentations
Practising Law Institute, Speaker, “Negotiating Commercial Leases 2026,” February 19-20, 2026
Practicing Law Institute, Speaker, “Negotiating Commercial Leases 2025,” February 20-21, 2025
Practising Law Institute, Speaker, “Negotiating Commercial Leases: How Owners and Corporate Occupants Can Avoid Costly Errors,” New York, 1995-Present
Practising Law Institute, Program Chair, “Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Standards and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards and the application to Commercial Leases and Escalations/Additional Rentals: The Hidden Costs and Surprises,” 1995-Present
Practising Law Institute, Speaker, “Fundamentals of Leasing 101,” 1995-Present
New York University, Schack Institute of Real Estate, Adjunct Professor, “Fundamentals of Commercial Leasing,” 2005-present and “Navigating and Negotiating Commercial Leases,” 2010-Present
Lorman Seminars, Speaker, “Anatomy of a Good Guy Guaranty,” 2016
Publications
New York State Bar Association, Real Estate Titles, Fourth Edition, Author, Chapter 25, “Commercial Leasing,” May 2020
Fastcase, Full Court Press, Author, “Negotiating and Drafting Commercial Leases,” A 2-Volume Treatise, 1995-2023
American Bar Association, The Commercial Property Lease Vol. III, Author, “Negotiating and Drafting Office Leases,” 2001
Lulu Press, NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Textbook, Author, “Cross-Border for Beginners – First U.S. Business Location – Structuring for Success,” 2010-Present
New York University Graduate Real Estate Program and NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate, Author, “Navigating The Dangerous Shoals of a Commercial Lease for Beginners”, Second Edition, 1992-Present
Law Journal Seminars-Press, Author, “Negotiating and Drafting Office Leases,” a 3-Volume Treatise supplemented semi-annually, 1995-2022, Library of Congress ISBN 1-38832-061-7