Catherine L.Burns
Partner
Real Estate
cburns@seyfarth.com
Catherine earned her reputation for exceptional client service through unparalleled timely responses, uniquely tailored advocacy, and tempered aggressiveness.
More About Catherine
Catherine is an efficient and pragmatic real estate attorney who provides protective guidance to her clients. She strives to understand her clients' business, their goals, and particular sensitivities with a direct and practical style. When geography permits, Catherine opts to hash deals out at a conference room table, and more often than not, her deals get done in four, not 40, drafts.
For more than 20 years, Catherine has represented real estate funds, developers, owners, and operators in connection with all aspects of their real estate investment transactions. She also provides trusted counsel on joint venture formation and restructuring, acquisition, development and financing, portfolio transactions, and leasing matters. Her broad practice touches upon every major sector—including office, retail, multifamily, and industrial.
Catherine stays on the front lines of industry trends and the changing marketplace, as evidenced by her recent experience managing transactions in the cannabis and opportunity zone investment space. As chair of the firm's Boston Real Estate department, Catherine also remains connected with local market leaders and is in tune with current market terms. This allows her the ability to negotiate transactional documents with proficiency and to connect her clients with partners in the marketplace.
Catherine is grateful to have motivated, talented, and truly wonderful clients that she learns alongside every day. She especially enjoys her leadership role on a national platform because it is engaging and provides an opportunity to grow her practice and a successful team.
For more than 20 years, Catherine has represented real estate funds, developers, owners, and operators in connection with all aspects of their real estate investment transactions. She also provides trusted counsel on joint venture formation and restructuring, acquisition, development and financing, portfolio transactions, and leasing matters. Her broad practice touches upon every major sector—including office, retail, multifamily, and industrial.
Catherine stays on the front lines of industry trends and the changing marketplace, as evidenced by her recent experience managing transactions in the cannabis and opportunity zone investment space. As chair of the firm's Boston Real Estate department, Catherine also remains connected with local market leaders and is in tune with current market terms. This allows her the ability to negotiate transactional documents with proficiency and to connect her clients with partners in the marketplace.
Catherine is grateful to have motivated, talented, and truly wonderful clients that she learns alongside every day. She especially enjoys her leadership role on a national platform because it is engaging and provides an opportunity to grow her practice and a successful team.
- BS, Boston University
Cum laude
- JD, Suffolk University Law School
Cum laude
- Massachusetts
Related Services
Related Key Industries
- Represented a real estate investor in connection with the sale of a 152,000-square-foot office building in the Seaport District along the famed Fort Point Channel, and several acquisitions throughout Massachusetts, including Downtown Crossings office buildings and suburban industrial and mixed-use facilities.
- Represented a global pharmaceutical company in connection with an approximately 50,000-square-foot lease of office and laboratory space at the newly developing Alewife Research Center to be home to its Center for Genetics Guided Dementia Discovery.
- Represented a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company to negotiate an approximately 50,000-square-foot lease of office and laboratory space in Technology Square, Cambridge.
- Represented a Boston-based private equity real estate firm engaged in the acquisition, development, and management of multifamily communities of over 7,000 residential apartment units across 26 multifamily communities with a total transaction value of over $1.3 billion.
- Represented a global real estate company subsidiary in connection with its acquisition of Marketplace Center, a 62,000-square-foot retail property located adjacent to historic Faneuil Hall for $81.8 million and landmark building on Newbury Street for $51 million.
- Represented real estate operators in joint ventures to develop multifamily, office, and mixed-use projects.
Related News & Insights
-
Speaking Engagement
Mar 12, 2025
Seyfarth to Sponsor and Catherine Burns to Speak at Greenpearl's 14th Annual Real Estate Women's Forum
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Sponsored Events
June 19 - June 21
Seyfarth to Sponsor and John Napoli, Catherine Burns, and Miles Borden to Speak at IMN's Forum on U.S. Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing
-
Sponsored Events
Mar 14, 2024
Seyfarth to Sponsor and Catherine Burns and Stacy Paek to Speak at Greenpearl’s 13th Annual Real Estate Women’s Forum
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Real Estate Law (2023-2025)
- Recognized Attorney, Real Estate (Nationwide), The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2016-2017, 2022-2024)
- Recognized for Real Estate (Massachusetts) by Chambers USA (2022-2024)
- Listed as a "Massachusetts Go To Lawyers Commercial Real Estate" by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2023)
-
Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (board member, 2022; Building Committee, member, 2022)
- American Bar Association
- National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
- Commercial Real Estate Development Association
- International Council of Shopping Centers
- Co-Author, "New Permitting Requirements Proposed for Construction Projects in the City of Boston," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 22, 2020)
- Co-author, “Chapter 74: Real Estate Law,” Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel (2009)
- “Alienation of Tenants’ Rights: Factors to Consider to Make a Ground Lease Financeable,” Commercial Leasing Law and Strategy Law Journal Newsletter (November 2007)
- Speaker, "Women in Development," Greenpearl’s 13th Annual Real Estate Women’s Forum, San Diego CA (March 14, 2024)
- Co-Speaker, "The Property Line: Let’s Get this Project Started," Podcast, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 29, 2024)
“She’s awesome. Catherine is super-efficient, always available, and, importantly, she’s deal-smart. She’s a great partner, in whom I have significant confidence. I’ve worked with a number of legal teams from different firms, and I’m always impressed with the quality and professionalism of Catherine’s team.” —Client feedback
"Catherine is the best. She's a great, responsive attorney with an outstanding work ethic. She's one of the few attorneys I would refer to my clients. You are very lucky if you have Catherine on your team, as she represents your firm very well. She's an A-class player." —Client feedback
"Catherine Burns is unequivocally the best attorney we’ve ever worked with. It would not matter to us if Catherine worked out of her house, transferred to a different firm or remained at Seyfarth. We’ll follow her wherever she goes. We love Catherine, and out of all the dozens of lawyers we’ve worked with, we think she’s the most extraordinary." —Client feedback
Catherine earned her reputation for exceptional client service through unparalleled timely responses, uniquely tailored advocacy, and tempered aggressiveness.
More About Catherine
Catherine is an efficient and pragmatic real estate attorney who provides protective guidance to her clients. She strives to understand her clients' business, their goals, and particular sensitivities with a direct and practical style. When geography permits, Catherine opts to hash deals out at a conference room table, and more often than not, her deals get done in four, not 40, drafts.
For more than 20 years, Catherine has represented real estate funds, developers, owners, and operators in connection with all aspects of their real estate investment transactions. She also provides trusted counsel on joint venture formation and restructuring, acquisition, development and financing, portfolio transactions, and leasing matters. Her broad practice touches upon every major sector—including office, retail, multifamily, and industrial.
Catherine stays on the front lines of industry trends and the changing marketplace, as evidenced by her recent experience managing transactions in the cannabis and opportunity zone investment space. As chair of the firm's Boston Real Estate department, Catherine also remains connected with local market leaders and is in tune with current market terms. This allows her the ability to negotiate transactional documents with proficiency and to connect her clients with partners in the marketplace.
Catherine is grateful to have motivated, talented, and truly wonderful clients that she learns alongside every day. She especially enjoys her leadership role on a national platform because it is engaging and provides an opportunity to grow her practice and a successful team.
For more than 20 years, Catherine has represented real estate funds, developers, owners, and operators in connection with all aspects of their real estate investment transactions. She also provides trusted counsel on joint venture formation and restructuring, acquisition, development and financing, portfolio transactions, and leasing matters. Her broad practice touches upon every major sector—including office, retail, multifamily, and industrial.
Catherine stays on the front lines of industry trends and the changing marketplace, as evidenced by her recent experience managing transactions in the cannabis and opportunity zone investment space. As chair of the firm's Boston Real Estate department, Catherine also remains connected with local market leaders and is in tune with current market terms. This allows her the ability to negotiate transactional documents with proficiency and to connect her clients with partners in the marketplace.
Catherine is grateful to have motivated, talented, and truly wonderful clients that she learns alongside every day. She especially enjoys her leadership role on a national platform because it is engaging and provides an opportunity to grow her practice and a successful team.
- BS, Boston University
Cum laude
- JD, Suffolk University Law School
Cum laude
- Massachusetts
Related Services
Related Key Industries
- Represented a real estate investor in connection with the sale of a 152,000-square-foot office building in the Seaport District along the famed Fort Point Channel, and several acquisitions throughout Massachusetts, including Downtown Crossings office buildings and suburban industrial and mixed-use facilities.
- Represented a global pharmaceutical company in connection with an approximately 50,000-square-foot lease of office and laboratory space at the newly developing Alewife Research Center to be home to its Center for Genetics Guided Dementia Discovery.
- Represented a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company to negotiate an approximately 50,000-square-foot lease of office and laboratory space in Technology Square, Cambridge.
- Represented a Boston-based private equity real estate firm engaged in the acquisition, development, and management of multifamily communities of over 7,000 residential apartment units across 26 multifamily communities with a total transaction value of over $1.3 billion.
- Represented a global real estate company subsidiary in connection with its acquisition of Marketplace Center, a 62,000-square-foot retail property located adjacent to historic Faneuil Hall for $81.8 million and landmark building on Newbury Street for $51 million.
- Represented real estate operators in joint ventures to develop multifamily, office, and mixed-use projects.
Related News & Insights
-
Speaking Engagement
Mar 12, 2025
Seyfarth to Sponsor and Catherine Burns to Speak at Greenpearl's 14th Annual Real Estate Women's Forum
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Sponsored Events
June 19 - June 21
Seyfarth to Sponsor and John Napoli, Catherine Burns, and Miles Borden to Speak at IMN's Forum on U.S. Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing
-
Sponsored Events
Mar 14, 2024
Seyfarth to Sponsor and Catherine Burns and Stacy Paek to Speak at Greenpearl’s 13th Annual Real Estate Women’s Forum
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Real Estate Law (2023-2025)
- Recognized Attorney, Real Estate (Nationwide), The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2016-2017, 2022-2024)
- Recognized for Real Estate (Massachusetts) by Chambers USA (2022-2024)
- Listed as a "Massachusetts Go To Lawyers Commercial Real Estate" by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2023)
-
Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (board member, 2022; Building Committee, member, 2022)
- American Bar Association
- National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
- Commercial Real Estate Development Association
- International Council of Shopping Centers
- Co-Author, "New Permitting Requirements Proposed for Construction Projects in the City of Boston," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 22, 2020)
- Co-author, “Chapter 74: Real Estate Law,” Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel (2009)
- “Alienation of Tenants’ Rights: Factors to Consider to Make a Ground Lease Financeable,” Commercial Leasing Law and Strategy Law Journal Newsletter (November 2007)
- Speaker, "Women in Development," Greenpearl’s 13th Annual Real Estate Women’s Forum, San Diego CA (March 14, 2024)
- Co-Speaker, "The Property Line: Let’s Get this Project Started," Podcast, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 29, 2024)
“She’s awesome. Catherine is super-efficient, always available, and, importantly, she’s deal-smart. She’s a great partner, in whom I have significant confidence. I’ve worked with a number of legal teams from different firms, and I’m always impressed with the quality and professionalism of Catherine’s team.” —Client feedback
"Catherine is the best. She's a great, responsive attorney with an outstanding work ethic. She's one of the few attorneys I would refer to my clients. You are very lucky if you have Catherine on your team, as she represents your firm very well. She's an A-class player." —Client feedback
"Catherine Burns is unequivocally the best attorney we’ve ever worked with. It would not matter to us if Catherine worked out of her house, transferred to a different firm or remained at Seyfarth. We’ll follow her wherever she goes. We love Catherine, and out of all the dozens of lawyers we’ve worked with, we think she’s the most extraordinary." —Client feedback