Robert J. Bello

Rob Bello guides clients through the full life cycle of commercial real estate transactions, from acquisition and financing through development, leasing, and eventual disposition. On the leasing side, he represents both landlords and tenants across mixed-use, office, industrial, retail, manufacturing, and multi-family properties. He also counsels owners and investors on the acquisition and disposition of those same asset classes, guiding deals from initial underwriting through closing. Rob's practice extends into adjacent industries, with experience in renewable energy transactions, including solar projects; oil and gas matters, including pipeline deals and various lease structures; and data center transactions. Additionally, he assists clients with mergers and acquisitions and select corporate matters.

Much of Rob's work lives in the documents that carry a deal. He has particular experience drafting, negotiating, and analyzing leases, purchase and sale agreements, SNDAs, estoppel certificates, development agreements, easements, and CC&Rs.

Rob's practice pairs legal precision with an operator's view of the transaction. Earlier in his career, he served as General Counsel for a national commercial real estate brokerage, and that experience shapes how he counsels clients on risk, structure, and the commercial goals behind a deal. Rob holds an M.B.A. alongside his law degree and brings a working fluency in the economics of the transactions he handles. He is licensed to practice law in Texas, California, and Illinois, and also holds or has held real estate brokerage licenses in California, Georgia, Illinois, and Utah, a background that gives him a grounded sense of how deals come together outside the four corners of the contract. Rob speaks Italian and holds dual citizenship with the United States and Italy.

While in law school, Rob was a member of Law Review and served as a judicial extern for Justice Judith Haller (Ret.) at the California Court of Appeal and for Judge Leo Papas (Ret.) at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Prior to his legal career, he was a professional baseball player in Italy after playing varsity baseball at Northwestern University. Outside the office, Rob enjoys spending time with his wife, Erin, who is also an attorney, and their four children.