Amara Harrell, Shareholder
Amara is a shareholder and a member of the firm’s public agency and business services practice groups where she represents both public and private sector clients in a wide range of commercial and residential real estate transactions, land use matters, and related construction law litigation.
Legal Experience
In practice since 2001, Amara has experience in advising and representing clients in a variety of real estate and construction matters. This experience includes reviewing and advising clients on numerous transactional documents including:
- Construction contracts
- Real estate agreements
- Lease agreements
- Insurance agreements
- Joint venture agreements
- Development agreements
- Land use permits
- Public offering statements
- Declarations of covenants, conditions, and restrictions
- (CCRs) and related homeowners’ association documents
Amara also has experience negotiating, restructuring, and amending contracts and negotiating settlement of disputes involving:
- Sale and lease of real estate
- Mechanic’s liens
- Foreclosures
- Land use
- Construction
- Zoning
She has also handled multi-party disputes involving parties such as architects, engineers, contractors, roofers, developers, and subcontractors.
Amara has considerable experience in all aspects of case development including administration, motions and pleadings, depositions and other discovery practices, court appearances, and mediation and arbitration proceedings.
Prior to joining Kronick, Amara worked for more than five years as an associate attorney and then contract attorney for a Honolulu, Hawaii real estate and construction law firm. While there, she handled a variety of complex real estate and construction cases. While in law school, she completed two legal internships in San Francisco, one for the Fair Employment and Housing Commission and the other for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Practice Examples
Following are examples of legal matters Amara has handled for clients:
- Representing a Hawaii developer of multi-million dollar oceanfront lots in defense of claims brought by purchasers over the interpretation of CCR provisions and public offering statements as they relate to the Hawaii Land Sales Act
- Representing one of the largest home-builders in Honolulu in defense of class action design and construction defect claims and numerous architects in defense of design and defect claims of large commercial projects, including design/build projects
- Drafting and negotiating cell phone tower lease agreements and parking lease agreements
- Drafting of real property deeds, easements, and water well agreements
- Performing due diligence related to real property issues
Professional Activities and Affiliations
Amara enjoys providing services for her community and has employed her legal talents outside of the workplace. Most recently, she provided pro bono services for a school serving gifted and dyslexic children, advising the school on employment matters and also representing them in discrimination complaints. Her professional affiliations include:
- The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law (2021-2024)
- Top Lawyers, Sacramento Magazine (2023)
- Member, California State Bar Association
- Member, Sacramento County Bar Association
- Member, Hawaii State Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- California State Bar#244795
Academic Background
J.D. Golden Gate University School of Law, 2000
- Graduated cum laude
- Dean’s Honor List
- Recipient of four American Jurisprudence Awards and 4 CALI Awards
- Editor, Law Review
B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz, 1988
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Overview
Phone: (916) 321-4598 | Email: aharrell@kmtg.comAreas of Practice
- Municipalities and Special Districts
- Real Estate and Land Use
- Economic Development and Housing
- General Municipal
- Groundwater Law
- Agriculture
- Health Care
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate Governance
- Bankruptcy Debtor/Creditor Rights
- Health Care Law
- Fees, Taxes, and Assessments
- Public Finance
- Banking and Finance Law
Education
J.D. Golden Gate University, 2000
B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz, 1988
Newsroom
- Municipalities and Special Districts
- Real Estate and Land Use
- Economic Development and Housing
- General Municipal
- Groundwater Law
- Agriculture
- Health Care
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate Governance
- Bankruptcy Debtor/Creditor Rights
- Health Care Law
- Fees, Taxes, and Assessments
- Public Finance
- Banking and Finance Law
- Is you letter of intent actually an enforceable lease agreement?
- Is your lease flexible enough to address the tenant’s need for more or less space, and the landlord’s need to move tenants?
- Is the lease clear as to who is responsible for various types of maintenance, and compliance with disabled access requirements?
- Does the lease anticipate the needs of future buyers, replacement tenants, lenders?
- Municipalities and Special Districts
- Real Estate and Land Use
- Economic Development and Housing
- General Municipal
- Groundwater Law
- Agriculture
- Health Care
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate Governance
- Bankruptcy Debtor/Creditor Rights
- Health Care Law
- Fees, Taxes, and Assessments
- Public Finance
- Banking and Finance Law
- “Non-refundable deposits" and when they need to be returned to the buyer
- When a purchase agreement becomes merely an option to buy the property
- What to disclose about your clients’ knowledge about the property
- Much more
Registration:
Register online at ims.sacrealtor.org
Speaking Engagements
03.07.2012
|Speaking Engagement
|Top Ten Traps for the Unwary in Commercial Leases
Date:
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Time:
8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Location:
SAR Mack Powell Auditorium
2003 Howe Avenue
Sacramento, CA
Organizers:
Related Practices/Industries
Sponsored By:
Sacramento Association of Realtors (SAR) – Commercial Division
KMTG Presenters:
[SPEAKERS]
Overview:
We all make mistakes. But mistakes in commercial leases can be costly over the long term of a lease. Leases should reflect not only the basics such as rent and term, but need to look into the future to guide the parties through a host of possibilities. KMTG real property attorneys will discuss ten common mistakes made in commercial leases, and how those mistakes can be prevented by careful negotiation and drafting.
Topics include:
Registration:
For more information and to register, please visit SAR’s website.
02.02.2011
|Speaking Engagement
|Preventing Problematic Commercial Purchase Agreements: The Top Ten Traps for the Unwary
Date:
Wednesdey, February 2, 2011
Time:
8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Location:
SAR Mack Powell Auditorium
2003 Howe Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95825
Cost:
$10 SAR members & realtors
$15 All others
Organizers:
Related Practices/Industries
Sponsored By:
Sacramento Association of Realtors (SAR)
KMTG Presenters:
[SPEAKERS]
Presentation Overview:
You’ve wrapped up the purchase deal – now it’s time to write it up and get it closed.
But of course, as you know, there are often bumps and curves in the road between
signing and closing. Sometimes the purchase agreement helps the parties navigate
that road, and sometimes it causes a breakdown. Real Property Attorneys from
Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard will discuss ten common mistakes made in
purchase agreements, and how those mistakes can complicate the deal or prevent it
from closing.
Topics include: