Darren Donnelly

First Year of Call

Areas of Practice
Real Estate

Description
Every year, well over 20,000 people move to Vancouver, creating a need for spaces in which to live and work. Combined with the geographical constraints of our region, the constant influx creates challenges and opportunities for the industry.

Darren, along with the commercial real estate group he has chaired for many years, is an integral part of helping our clients face challenges and capitalize on opportunities, playing a key role in creating communities.

Darren is a problem solver. This is just one of the advantages he brings from practicing in the same area for over 30 years. He has the ability to identify issues and provide strategic recommendations for our clients.

Services

Acquisitions and dispositions of income properties Residential, retail, office, industrial, hotel and mixed-use development
Public-private partnerships Seniors housing
Strata liquidation for re-development Conventional, strata and air space subdivision
Contaminated sites
Darren works collaboratively with our clients and develops innovations that recognize their needs, addressing issues from a business perspective in an industry defined by change and growth. Examples of these innovations include:

Working with clients to implement alternative fee arrangements, where appropriate, as well as utilizing the training and ongoing education that Darren has pursued in the area of legal project management
Designing the legal structure for BC’s first campus-of-care-style development—a one part housing, one part healthcare arrangement—which helps seniors stay at home, comfortable and close to loved ones for as long as possible
Developing and implementing a co-development model for UBC Properties Trust, facilitating the creation of on-campus housing ownership opportunities for university faculty and staff
Darren’s experience across a broad range of clients allows him to understand each unique business. He provides smart, strategic legal work that brings success to our clients’ projects in the communities and markets they serve.

Awards & Distinctions
Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®, Consistently Recommended, Property Development, 2010-2023
Canadian Lexpert-Ranked Lawyer®, Canada’s Leading Infrastructure Lawyers
Best Lawyers in Canada, Real Estate Law, 2016-2025
Chambers Canada, Real Estate, 2016-2024