Overview
Clients appreciate John’s holistic approach to deals: a clear vision and goal, a well-developed plan, manageable milestones, and a laser-like focus – with the flexibility to adjust when necessary to get the deal done.
John Ruffier concentrates his legal practice on commercial real estate, representing clients within Florida and across the nation. As the firm's Senior Housing Group chair, he also helps companies acquire, operate and, when the time is right, sell senior living communities.
Whether representing companies that are developing, acquiring or selling commercial real estate, or lenders who are making or modifying commercial loans, John’s skills garnered from his championship rowing days serve him well. After all, rowing is a lot like business: both require a clear vision and goal, a well-developed plan, manageable milestones and a laser-like focus – with the flexibility to adjust when necessary.
Restaurants, big box retail stores, office buildings, golf courses, and senior living facilities are among the real estate transactions in John’s dossier, both in Florida and across the United States. Clients appreciate John’s holistic approach to deals – like in his rowing days, John ignores distractions and always keeps his focus on the goal line of getting the deal done. With senior housing, John and his team work on numerous diverse issues such as land use, licensing, financing, labor and employment management and operations, all to provide clients with advice that carefully looks at both immediate needs and the long-term prospects for potential transactions.
When he is not practicing law, John works with The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve LGBTQ+ equality. He is the past chair of the organization’s board of directors and continues to advise its leadership as a member of HRC's emeritus council. John is also a past president of the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida and was awarded the Chuck Hummer II Visionary Award in recognition of his leadership in the LGBT community. Currently, John serves on the board of directors and executive committee for both United Arts of Central Florida and is the board chair for the Central Florida Kidney Center.
Experience
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Represented real estate investment trust in the $1.25 billion sale of a medical office portfolio consisting of 55 properties in 16 states. At the time, this transaction ranked as the second-largest medical office portfolio sale in terms of total dollar volume.
- Represented real estate investment trust in $238 million acquisition and financing of 9 medical office buildings in multiple states.
- Represented real estate investment trust in $562 million acquisition and financing of 20 senior living communities in multiple states.
- Represented real estate investment trust in $343 million acquisition and financing of 21 senior living communities in multiple states.
- Represented real estate investment trust $270 million acquisition of 19 senior living communities in multiple states.
- Represented real estate investment trust in $199 million acquisition and financing of 25 senior living communities in multiple states.
- Represented a private equity company in $184 million acquisition and financing of 14 senior living communities in multiple states and later in the disposition of the same set of properties via a membership interest sale to privately-owned real estate company.
- Represented a private equity company in $7.7 million sale of 4 senior living communities, including the negotiation of a $1.5 million mezzanine loan secured by interests in the senior living community purchaser.
- Represented a private equity company in $5 million mezzanine loan secured by a pledge of interests in multiple entities related to a senior living community.
- Represented privately-owned real estate company in $25.4 million acquisition and finance of a senior living facility in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
News & Insights
News
Publications
Recognition
Recognition
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, Banking and Finance Law, 2016-2025; Real Estate Law, 2016-2025
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2021-2023
- Awesome Attorneys, Orlando Family Magazine, 2023
- Chuck Hummer II Visionary Award, Hope and Help Center of Central Florida
- Best of the Bar, Orlando Business Journal
- Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend, 2007, 2013, 2017
Community & Civic
Community Activities
- United Arts of Central Florida, Board of Directors and Executive Committee
- Central Florida Kidney Center, Board of Directors and Board Chair
- Coalition for the Homeless, Board of Directors, past Member
- Human Rights Campaign, Board of Directors, past Chair
- Human Rights Foundation, Board of Directors, past Member
- Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, City of Orlando Governmental Liaison
- Hope and Help Center of Central Florida, Board of Directors, past member, and past President
- Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Associate Board, past President
- City of Orlando Public Art, Advisory Board, Former Member
- Vanderbilt University Alumni Recruiting Committee, past Chairman
Professional Certifications & Memberships
- Orange County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- The Florida Bar
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
Education
- University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D., 1996
- Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1992