Janet Derbawka

Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Vancouver
Canada
T:+1 604 641 4902
Vancouver
Canada
T:+1 604 641 4902
Janet Derbawka

Janet Derbawka

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Biography

Janet Derbawka is a partner practising in our real estate and business law groups, advising on commercial acquisitions, dispositions and financing transactions. With extensive experience negotiating office, retail and industrial lease transactions on behalf of landlords and tenants, she is consistently recognized as a recommended lawyer in property leasing by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.

Acting on behalf of startups and privately held companies, international franchises, real estate investment trusts and publicly traded companies, Janet works with some of Canada's largest developers and a number of international retailers. Her other clients represent a variety of industries, including technology, gaming, financial services, and facility management.

Janet also provides counsel on general business law matters, representing clients in structuring, negotiating and documenting a broad range of corporate / commercial transactions with an emphasis on acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations and financings.

Professional experience

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LL.B., University of Toronto Faculty of Law, 1992
B.Comm. University of Alberta, 1989

  • British Columbia Bar 1994
  • Ontario 1994

Matters in which Janet has acted include:

  • Acting as counsel for landlord of major designer outlet centre in Vancouver
  • Acting for major Canadian financial institutions in retail and office leasing transactions
  • Acting for major technology and electric vehicle companies in connection with office and retail leasing matters
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2017-2021, 2023-2024: recommended in Property Leasing
  • Recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Consistently Recommended Lawyer in the area of Property Leasing
  • "The Strategic Approach to the Terms of Lease: Comparing the Experience Across All Asset Classes," Vancouver Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference, Vancouver, November 3, 2021.
  • "Commercial Leasing in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Pacific Business and Law Institute, Vancouver, August 2020.
  • "What Lies Beneath: The Complexities of Mixed-Use and Mixed Ownership Projects and Implications for the Landlord Tenant Relationship," ICSC Canadian Shopping Centre Law Conference, Toronto, March 2019.
  • "Negotiating In Today's Market: Understanding the Deal, Resolve Key Issues and Close the Transaction," Vancouver Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference, Vancouver, November 2018.
  • "Passport Revoked: How to Ensure Your Brands Do Not Fail Internationally," ICSC U.S. Shopping Centre Law Conference, Orlando, Florida, October 2018.
  • "The Art of Negotiation: More Than you Bargained For," ICSC Canadian Shopping Centre Law Conference, Toronto, April 30, 2018.
  • "Back to Basics: Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Managing Tenants," 2017 Vancouver Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference, November 1, 2017.
  • CREW Speaker Series - Women of Influence (panelist), Vancouver, October 18, 2017.
  • "The Show Must Go On," ICSC Canadian Law Conference, Toronto, April 27, 2017.
  • "Anchors Away: Where Did All The Big Boxes Go?" ICSC Canadian Law Conference, Toronto, April, 2016.
  • Co-chair, 2017 ICSC Whistler Planning Committee
  • 2015/2016 ICSC Whistler Planning Committee
  • CREW (Vancouver chapter)
  • International Council of Shopping Centers
  • Conference co-chair for Leadership for Women Lawyers: Practicing Law in Today's Fast-Paced Environment

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