Alain M. R'bibo

Century City

Alain R'bibo has spent nearly two decades navigating the world of commercial real estate law, advising clients on transactions that shape the physical landscape of American communities. As a partner at Allen Matkins, he serves as a strategic advisor to public companies, private equity firms, family offices and high net worth individuals on real estate deals across the country.

R'bibo's practice spans the full spectrum of commercial real estate, from acquisitions and dispositions to joint ventures, development and leasing of institutional properties including office, retail, industrial, multifamily and technology assets.

Recent representations include landlords of trophy office buildings on the West Coast, buyers of logistics facilities that enable rapid e-commerce delivery, electric vehicle manufacturers securing research and development sites and developers of both student housing and workforce housing projects.

R'bibo's path to real estate law began with an early career transition from bankruptcy practice. "Early in my career, I transitioned from bankruptcy to real estate because I had many contacts in the industry and thought it would be a great area in which to build my practice," he said. The shift proved prescient, as he found deeper motivation in the work's community impact.

"Since then, I've remained drawn to real estate by how our work impacts lives by building and shaping our communities, the places where we live, work and play," R'bibo said.

When R'bibo first joined Allen Matkins, he acknowledged his limited real estate knowledge but benefited from mentorship by firm veterans. He credits practitioners including Tony Natsis, John Tipton, Mike Matkins, Robert Lurie, Cheryl Prell, Eric Shelby and Pete Roth with shaping his approach to practice over nearly 20 years.

R'bibo takes a pragmatic view of deal-making challenges. "Every deal has obstacles. Once you understand that, then you're not rattled when they show up," he said.

The attorney sees encouraging signs in the office sector's recovery following pandemic disruptions. "It's great to see office occupancy coming back to life. The sector had a challenging few years, but the benefits of people coming together in person toward a common goal can never be fully replaced by technology," R'bibo said.

On housing policy in Los Angeles, he noted progress while calling for continued reform. He emphasized that criminal justice and homelessness policies must consider all stakeholders, "including real estate owners and developers who invest their time, resources and skill in creating and maintaining our communities."