Kate Bartolo
(See website: https://katebartolo.com).
Kate Bartolo has over 30 years of expertise in real estate, government, and the laws, regulations and practices that govern it. For the last 13 years she has been a land use and real estate development consultant, including asset management, conflict resolution and, more recently, real estate expert witness work. Her company now offers services exclusive to law firms, focused on expert witness, conflict resolution and real estate advisory services. This transition reflects her real estate proficiency and strong research, writing, public speaking, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.
Her real estate and related government experience includes but is not limited to:
-Acquisition and valuation
-Development and land use (project and case types listed on Bio)
-Contracts
-Leasing and sales
-Brokerage
-Asset management value-add
-Property management
-Conflict resolution
-Real estate laws, regulations and legislation
-Litigation prevention/litigation support
- Commercial Real Estate
- Homeowners Association
- Land Use & Zoning
- Landlord/Tenant
- Property Management
- Real Estate Broker
- Real Estate Leasing
- Real Estate Valuation
- Residential Real Estate
- Retail Real Estate
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: -UCLA BA, Political Science major
-Continuing coursework: UCLA, in writing, urban planning/development
-Certified Real Estate Investment Specialist (CBRE program) - Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: Current:
AAGLA, Apartment Association Greater Los Angeles
Prior affiliations/memberships:
Urban Land Institute
Downtown Los Angeles Central City Association
LA and State Chamber of Commerce
Chair/Founding Board member two Business Improvement Districts, HCBID, and Arts District BID, members real estate property owners
ICSC, International Council of Shopping Centers - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: -Presented all client real estate development/planning/hospitality licensing cases before Los Angeles City decisionmakers (Zoning Administrators/Planning Commission/Community Redevelopment Agency, City Council), especially, since 2007.
-Successfully resolved all community and stakeholder outreach conflicts on varied issues/projects.
-Guest Lecturer, USC/UCLA on urban planning and development
-Frequent moderator/panelist on real estate industry-related panels over two decades focused on urban planning and development issues, e.g. ULI. Most recent: moderated CREW, Commercial Real Estate Women on the Los Angeles Adaptive Reuse Ordinance.
- Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: Never
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Three
Please note that I performed expert witness work solely while a consultant, and when I was referred cases I was willing to take. - Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Two cases involving landlord-tenant litigation, involving respectively, multi-family housing and a commercial retail lease contract between a national chain grocery store tenant and the property owner.
One case involving a commission dispute between a commercial broker and property owner.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: None
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: All
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: One, relating to an expert witness case.
No projects/issues I handled resulted in lawsuits. - Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: 2013
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: Two of the cases never went to court. I was told that I was "accepted as an expert witness", though I cannot say definitely that the judge so ruled.
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: None
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: Once in 2013 and twice in 2023, though in one case I was hired directly by the defendant (with the full knowledge of her lawyer) to advise as to whether to appeal a negative court ruling.
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: My new firm direction focused on advisory services to lawyers includes:
-Real Estate Expert witness research, analysis and testimony, preparation of memos and reports, and including site inspections; and
-Conflict Resolution to prevent and/or resolve litigation; and
-Real estate advisor to lawyers
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: $400 per hour
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: $400 per hour
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: $500 per hour
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: $500 per hour
- Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: Reasonable travel expenses. And if a staff person is involved, the fees involved will be at a substantially lower hourly rate.
Available Upon Request