Karsten Lee

Partner*

Practice Areas

Corporate

Landlord & Tenant

* Partner through a professional corporation

Karsten Lee practises in the area of commercial leasing law. He is co-chair of the firm’s Commercial Leasing Practice Group.

Karsten advises and assists national, individual and entrepreneurial clients with respect to all leasing-related matters. He has extensive experience with drafting and negotiating commercial leases and all ancillary documentation, as well as providing advice on a broad range of leasing-related issues relating to redevelopments, real estate acquisitions and dispositions, defaults and termination.

Karsten acts on behalf of landlords, tenants, developers, property managers, lenders, franchisors and franchisees. He also has extensive experience with leasing-related due diligence matters.

Experience

Acted for Honeywell (NYSE:HON) in the acquisition by plan of arrangement of COM DEV International Ltd. (TSX:CDV), a leading satellite and space components provider of switches and multiplexers. February 2016.

Repeatedly recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in Property Leasing
Repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada as a leading lawyer in Commercial Leasing Law and Real Estate Law

Placeholder to hide

Significant Transactions

Acted for Honeywell (NYSE:HON) in the acquisition by plan of arrangement of COM DEV International Ltd. (TSX:CDV), a leading satellite and space components provider of switches and multiplexers. February 2016.

Awards

Repeatedly recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in Property Leasing
Repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada as a leading lawyer in Commercial Leasing Law and Real Estate Law

Karsten Lee practises in the area of commercial leasing law. He is co-chair of the firm’s Commercial Leasing Practice Group.

Karsten acts on behalf of landlords, tenants, developers, property managers, lenders, franchisors and franchisees. He also has extensive experience with leasing-related due diligence matters.

Experience

Acted for Honeywell (NYSE:HON) in the acquisition by plan of arrangement of COM DEV International Ltd. (TSX:CDV), a leading satellite and space components provider of switches and multiplexers. February 2016.

Repeatedly recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in Property Leasing
Repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada as a leading lawyer in Commercial Leasing Law and Real Estate Law

Placeholder to hide

Significant Transactions

Acted for Honeywell (NYSE:HON) in the acquisition by plan of arrangement of COM DEV International Ltd. (TSX:CDV), a leading satellite and space components provider of switches and multiplexers. February 2016.

Awards

Repeatedly recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in Property Leasing
Repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada as a leading lawyer in Commercial Leasing Law and Real Estate Law

Called to the Bar

Ontario (2007)

Education

LL.B., Queen's University, 2006
B.Comm., University of Toronto, 2001

Affiliations

Canadian Bar Association
Ontario Bar Association
International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “Losing Control! Key Changes to the Competition Act and the Impact on Commercial Leases”, ICSC+Canadian Law 2025, Toronto, ON, May 1, 2025
Co-Chair, The Eight-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer, Toronto, ON, February 26, 2025
Speaker, “The Evolution of Shopping Centre Lands”, ICSC+Canadian Law 2024, Toronto, ON, April 8, 2024
Co-Chair, “The Eight-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2024,” Law Society of Ontario, Toronto, ON, February 28, 2024
Co-Chair and Speaker, “The Eight-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2023,” Law Society of Ontario, Toronto, ON, March 1, 2023
Speaker, “Redevelopments – Landlord and Tenant Considerations and Considerations From an Existing Tenant’s Perspective”, ICSC+Canadian Law, Toronto, ON, May 4, 2023
Co-Chair and Speaker, “The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2022,” Law Society of Ontario, Online, March 3, 2022
Co-Chair, “The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2021,” Law Society of Ontario, Online, March 2, 2021
Panelist, “Commercial Leasing Outlook 2021: Ask An Expert”, WeirFoulds LLP, Online, January 28, 2021
Speaker, “Deeper Dive: Key Elements of a Commercial Lease”, Your First Commercial Leasing Transaction, Webinar, The Canadian Bar Association, November 10, 2020
Speaker, “A Build-To-Suit Lease for your Build-to-Suit Property: Leasing Considerations for your Design-Build Project”, The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer, Law Society of Ontario, Toronto, February 13, 2020
Moderator, “Back to Basics: The Leasing 101 Workshop You Didn’t Think You Needed but Were Glad You Attended”, Canadian Shopping Centre Law Conference, Toronto, March 27-28, 2019
Speaker, “Five Years On: The Effect of Bhasin and the Duty of Good Faith in Commercial Leasing”, Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2019, Law Society of Ontario, Toronto, February 25, 2019
Moderator, “We Built This City – A Construction Primer for Leasing Professionals”, ICSC Canadian Shopping Centre Law Conference, Toronto, ON, April 2016
Speaker, 2016 Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference, Toronto, ON, October 6, 2016
Speaker, “A House Divided: Issues with Leasing in a Multi-Use Development or Condominium”, ICSC Canadian Law Conference, Toronto, April 21-22, 2016
Speaker, Legal and Regulatory Issues Affecting Building Owners & Property Managers,” Springfest, April 7, 2016
Co-presenter, Legal and Regulatory Issues for Property Managers and Owners, Property Management Exposition & Conference, Toronto, November 28, 2012