Holland & Knight Attys on Undoing GSA Lease Terminations

GSA Leasing & Federal Real Estate attorneys Robert MacKichan Jr. and Gordon Griffin were featured in a Q&A with Law360 about lease terminations by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and how they're advising clients in response. Last month, the GSA announced plans to terminate approximately 1,000 leases, leading to an influx of calls from landlords about whether the moves were valid. Mr. MacKichan clarified the difference between a soft term and a firm term in a lease, adding he had spoken with GSA officials who confirmed terminations were only being sought for leases in the soft term. The attorneys also talked about what Mr. Griffin coined "GSAims" or "governmentisms" — issues such as government contractor compliance obligations and the Contract Excuse Act process that are unique to GSA leases. They then went over how they're helping clients navigate termination notices, highlighting that some are issued in error because of outdated information in government databases. Additionally, they advised lessees to view pending terminations as a business opportunity to renegotiate or settle on a departure date with the government, given that many of the effective dates are in August or September of this year. The interview concluded by noting Holland & Knight's success in this field, which Mr. Griffin attributed to Mr. MacKichan's reputation for integrity and high-quality legal service.

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