Ian Graf
Canada Guide 2025
Up and Coming : Real Estate
Up and Coming
About
Provided by Ian Graf
Practice Areas
Commercial Real Estate
Real Estate Investments
Real Estate Lending & Financing
Real Estate Project Development
Leasing
Career
Ian practices commercial real estate law and acts for a wide variety of clients, including real estate owners, investors and developers, with respect to acquisitions and dispositions, financings, commercial leasing and land development.
Ian also acts for clients active in real estate lending, including banks, credit unions, life insurance companies and private investors, and for borrowers, with respect to all types of real estate financing transactions, including acquisition financing, land loans, mezzanine financing, construction financing, deposit protection insurance facilities and term financing.
Ian advises clients with respect to structuring real estate investments, negotiating and drafting purchase agreements, co-ownership agreements and other principal documents, advising on due diligence issues and undertaking closing matters.
He also assists landlords and tenants in all aspects of commercial leasing, including drafting standard form leases and negotiating ground leases, leases, subleases and licences, and he advises real estate owners and developers with respect to rezoning, subdivision and other local government matters and with respect to issues under the Land Title Act, the Strata Property Act and the Real Estate Development Marketing Act.
Ian has previously been general counsel for a privately held real estate investment and development company active in Canada and the United States, overseeing its legal affairs and working with executives to develop and implement investment, mortgage lending and property development decisions. Prior to joining BLG, Ian practiced commercial real estate law with a leading global law firm based in New York.
Professional Memberships
Member, Canadian Bar Association (Real Property) – Vancouver Section
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Urban Land Institute
Education
University of British Columbia
LLB
2008
Simon Fraser University
BBA (Finance and Marketing)
2004
Chambers Review
Canada
Ian Graf is developing a respectable commercial real estate practice from the Borden Ladner Gervais' office in Vancouver. He is adept at handling property sales, acquisitions and financing mandates.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Ian Graf is an excellent commercial leasing lawyer with a depth of knowledge and experience and strong client management skills."
"Ian Graf is a true professional and our go-to counsel for complex matters. He is highly sophisticated in his understanding of issues and always commercially minded in his approach to our cases."
"Ian Graf is very technical and detail-oriented. He understands aspects of the profession which most do not and is very quick to adapt."
"Ian Graf is an excellent commercial leasing lawyer with a depth of knowledge and experience and strong client management skills."
"Ian Graf is a true professional and our go-to counsel for complex matters. He is highly sophisticated in his understanding of issues and always commercially minded in his approach to our cases."
"Ian Graf is very technical and detail-oriented. He understands aspects of the profession which most do not and is very quick to adapt."