News & Insights

SAN DIEGO (July 24, 2023) – With a proven reputation earned by the successful representation of some of the country’s largest owners, investors, landlords, developers and other real estate-centric clients in complex transactions spanning all asset classes, Southern California-based Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3) celebrates its ten-year anniversary this month.

Founded in San Diego in 2013 by five long-time partners of Big Law, CGS3 quickly grew to include a Los Angeles office and has become a recognized leader among a “new generation” of highly specialized law firms with practice areas covering the entire commercial real estate life cycle, including finance, acquisition/disposition, entity formation, tax, development, land use, leasing, distressed asset workouts and dispute resolution.  

According to CGS3 founding partner Sean Southard, since the firm was founded, it has played a key role in some of the region’s most high-profile real estate transactions – from record setting retail leasing deals to complex commercial sales and acquisitions.  “As we celebrate ten years in business, we are grateful to have earned our reputation as one of California’s leading commercial real estate law firms, with a business model aimed at re-thinking the way legal services are delivered.  Our deep bench of highly qualified and experienced attorneys has grown to a team of 21 attorneys and six paralegals, all of whom have Big Law and/or senior in-house legal counsel experience.  Our clients appreciate the value of the CGS3 experience, and we are incredibly excited for the next ten years.”

Milestones and accolades over the last year include:

• In the San Diego office, the addition of new firm partner Priya Huggett, new attorney Chanel Di Blasi and David Dick, Of-Counsel.
• The addition of partner Alison Pappas in the Los Angeles office.
• For the sixth consecutive year, CGS3 has been recognized by Chambers & Partners, the preeminent legal research and law firm ranking publisher, as one of the best real estate law firms in California.
• Key roles in a number of high-profile deals throughout the country – including a prominent role in the high-profile expansion of a major San Diego hospital, record setting leases and major acquisitions in the life science sectors, luxury resort and master planned residential and development projects and the largest sublease transaction in San Francisco since the pandemic.
• Multiple accolades for firm attorneys, including recognition in Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and SD Metro’s “San Diego’s Best Attorneys,” as well as the San Diego Business Journal’s “SD 500,” “Women of Influence in Law,” “40 Under 40,” “Influential Veteran Business Leaders” and “Leaders in Law,” to name a few.
• With a focus on the importance of inclusivity in the workplace, CGS3 is a contributor to the University of San Diego’s (USD’s) Advancing Black Leadership and Scholarship Fund.
• CGS3 team members are also community leaders, and in recent months have supported such organizations as the New Children’s Museum, SES Tennis Center, the Magdalena Ecke Family and Core Spaces “Camp Out at Home” Annual Fundraiser.

About Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3)

CGS3 is a new generation commercial real estate law firm with practice areas covering the full commercial real estate life cycle, including finance, acquisition/disposition, entity formation, tax, development, land use, leasing, distressed asset workouts and dispute resolution. Earning a reputation as one of California’s leading commercial real estate law firms, CGS3 has recruited some of the state’s top real estate attorneys from both large corporate firms and senior in-house positions. CGS3 is located at 12750 High Bluff Drive, Suite 250, San Diego, California 92130 and 10940 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2200, Los Angeles, California 90024. For more information, visit http://www.cgs3.com.