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Wil Catlin is Partner and Managing Principal at Boston Realty Advisors, leading the…
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Wil Catlin shared thisLaw Firms Are on a Historic Office Binge U.S. law firms are emerging as one of the strongest drivers of the office recovery, signing a record 12.2 million SF in the first half of 2026, up 17% year over year. Q2 alone hit 7.3M SF, 23% above the previous quarterly record. Legal firms represented 14% of office demand across 10 major U.S. markets. 43% of law firm leases were expansions, reversing years of downsizing tied to remote work and digitization. AmLaw 100 firms signed 9 of the 10 largest legal leases in Q2. NYC, Washington, D.C. and Chicago captured 52% of legal leasing, with NYC alone recording 2.2M SF. The sector is on pace to exceed the 2025 record of 18.8M SF. Strong economics are supporting the expansion, with law-firm revenue up 12.4% in H1 2026. The trend is especially relevant for Boston, where major law firms serve the region’s financial services, private equity, life sciences, technology and institutional sectors. As firms compete for talent and clients, demand should continue to favor high-quality, well-located, highly amenitized offices in the Back Bay and Financial District. Bottom line: Law firms are increasingly taking more—not less—office space. In Boston, that could make the legal sector an important stabilizer for downtown leasing, supporting stronger absorption and rents in top-tier buildings while further widening the divide between premium assets and commodity office space. Ciara Long | Bisnow | Chris Bushnell | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality https://lnkd.in/gFJ-KfZs
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Wil Catlin shared thisDowntown Boston’s elevated office vacancy rate—still just above 25%—is creating unusually affordable opportunities for nonprofits to buy or lease space that was previously out of reach. Several organizations have taken advantage of discounted pricing, including Breaktime, Bridge Over Troubled Waters and Embrace Boston, while others such as the Boston Society of Architects and Lawyers for Civil Rights have leased downtown offices. The broader takeaway: asking rents are down roughly 19% from pre-pandemic levels, giving mission-driven and creative organizations greater access to downtown Boston. While some believe discounted acquisition opportunities could narrow as values recover, millions of square feet remain available, suggesting nonprofits could continue playing a meaningful role in repopulating and activating Downtown Crossing and the broader downtown market. Steph Solis | Axios | #BostonRealEstate | #DowntownBoston | #CommercialRealEstate | #OfficeMarket | #BostonOffice | #CRE | #Nonprofits | #DowntownCrossing | #AdaptiveReuse | #UrbanRevitalization | #BostonBusiness | #RealEstateTrends | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality | Christopher McMahon https://lnkd.in/gfHQcw7M
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Wil Catlin shared this50 Years Old One Federal Street is a 38-story, 1.115 million SF Class A office tower in the heart of Boston’s Financial District. Built in 1976 and renovated in 1996, the property features approximately 29,343 SF typical floor plates, 27 elevators and 240 covered parking spaces. Tishman Speyer is the current owner/property manager and primary leasing agent. The building last sold in April 2017 for $705 million, or approximately $632/SF. Amenities & Outdoor Space A significant differentiator is the 9th-floor outdoor roof deck, complemented by: Conference facilities Fitness center Ground-floor food and restaurant offerings Banking Dry cleaning On-site security and management Large below-grade parking garage The signature 9OFS indoor/outdoor rooftop amenity and event venue was introduced in 2012, giving the property a meaningful outdoor amenity well before rooftop space became a major post-COVID office requirement. Tishman Speyer | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP | AECOM | Healthcare For All | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality https://lnkd.in/g2jAScHe
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Wil Catlin shared this141 Portland Street delivers a boutique, loft-style office experience for tenants seeking identity, access, and authenticity. This 23,000 SF, three-story building, owned by KS Partners, offers exposed brick, skylights, interconnecting stairwells, and a private entrance with an elevator, perfect for tenants who value design and a strong street presence. Prominent signage and branding opportunities amplify visibility in one of Boston’s fastest-growing commercial corridors. Bonny Doorakian | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality | #NorthStation https://lnkd.in/eSEYsAq4
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Wil Catlin shared thisPrice matters — but only so much. For many office occupiers, the question is no longer simply, “Where can we get the cheapest space?” It’s “Where do we need to be to attract and retain the best people?” Collegium’s move from lower-cost Stoughton to downtown Boston is a good example. The company is willing to pay more for better access to the region’s biotech talent pool — a dynamic that extends across technology, finance, professional services, and other knowledge-based industries. The takeaway for Boston’s office market: Talent can outweigh occupancy cost. Transit and amenities create a recruiting advantage. Companies may take less space, but choose better space. Proximity to industry ecosystems has real value. The workplace itself has become a recruiting and retention tool. Boston office-market takeaway: Price will always matter, but location, quality, and access to talent increasingly determine where companies are willing to spend. That could prove to be a far more durable driver of Boston office demand than return-to-office mandates alone. Jon Chesto | Boston Globe Media | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality https://lnkd.in/gtwE3_mz
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Wil Catlin shared thisFor Boston’s commercial office market, the coastal resilience plan could have a meaningful impact on property values, leasing, financing and insurance, particularly in the Seaport, Fort Point, Downtown and other low-lying areas. A coordinated flood-protection system would provide substantially greater protection than relying solely on individual building improvements. That could reduce long-term exposure to flooding, business interruption and escalating insurance costs while giving lenders and institutional investors greater confidence in vulnerable assets. For tenants, resilience increasingly matters as part of business continuity. Companies signing long-term leases want confidence that their offices, utilities, transportation networks and employee access will remain operational during major storm events. There could also be a broader placemaking benefit if resilience projects incorporate Harborwalk improvements, parks and public open space, making waterfront office districts both safer and more attractive. Commercial real estate takeaway: Coastal resilience is becoming another component of building quality. Over time, properties located within well-protected districts could be easier to lease, finance and sell—and potentially command stronger values than comparable assets with greater climate exposure. Vikki Spruill | Kate Dineen | Boston Globe Media | US Army Corps of Engineers | City of Boston | City of Boston - Planning Department | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality https://lnkd.in/gHU-4kyp
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Wil Catlin shared thisBoston is proving that historic preservation and sustainability can go hand in hand. The City has transformed 26 Court Street — its oldest continuously owned property, dating back to 1635 — into a modern, all-electric, fossil fuel-free workplace. Key takeaways: 175,000 SF serving multiple City departments 89% of the historic 1912 structure preserved Targeting LEED Platinum Estimated 50%–75% lower carbon emissions versus new construction New high-efficiency windows, insulation and mechanical systems EV charging, bike infrastructure and a redesigned public plaza This is a strong example of how Boston can modernize aging office buildings rather than replace them — preserving history while dramatically improving energy performance. For a city with a large inventory of older commercial buildings, adaptive reuse and deep renovation may be as important as new development. #Boston | #CommercialRealEstate | #AdaptiveReuse | #Sustainability | #OfficeMarket | #HistoricPreservation | City of Boston | City of Boston - Planning Department | Michelle Wu | CambridgeSeven | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality https://lnkd.in/gQ95HMJh
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Wil Catlin shared thisWe appreciate the opportunity to participate in this transaction. BCB Government Relations, Inc.Wil Catlin shared thisCongratulations, BCB Government Relations, Inc. on your recent office lease in Financial District! Wil Catlin, Robert F. LeClair, Bonny Doorakian, Justin Harlow, Owen Murphy #CommercialRealEstate #CRE #OfficeLease #Boston #FinancialDistrict #BostonCRE #TenantRep #BRAdvisors
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Wil Catlin shared thisEven Boston’s best office buildings are still being repriced. Oxford Properties Group just acquired ONE MARINA PARK Drive in the Seaport for $435 million — roughly $884/SF. The building is 99% leased, waterfront, and filled with high-quality tenants. Yet it sold for 10% less than it did in 2019. The message is clear: office values have reset — even for trophy assets. But institutional capital is returning. It’s just being far more selective. Catherine Carlock | Boston Globe Media | Clarion Partners LLC | Ankit Bhatt | #BostonCRE | #BostonOffice | #Seaport | #CommercialRealEstate | OMERS | Boston Realty Advisors | Boston Office Spaces | #AI | #OfficeSearch | #TenantAdvisory | #WorkplaceStrategy | #ClassA | #ClassB | #CRE | #OfficeLeasing | #FinancialDistrict | #Seaport | #Kendall | #BackBay | #TenantRepresentation | #FlighttoQuality https://lnkd.in/gTxUYxah
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Wil Catlin reacted on thisWil Catlin reacted on this🎉 Please join us in welcoming Aleksia Bulku and Charlie Borstel to STAG Industrial, who both started last week! Aleksia joins us with nearly 3 years of commercial real estate brokerage experience, bringing a strong background in lease strategy, deal execution, and client relationship management. Charlie brings almost two years of investment operations and analytics experience, with a strong foundation in data validation, performance reporting, and process improvement. We're excited to have them both on the team — welcome aboard, Aleksia and Charlie! 🙌 #WelcomeToTheTeam #NewHire #STAGIndustrial
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Wil Catlin liked thisWil Catlin liked thisWhile the others are on the beach, we are working hard! We’d like to thank our client and lender partners for trusting Boston Realty Advisors to provide debt advisory to this unique Beacon Hill office property Kevin Finke #commercialrealestate #bostonrealestate #debtadvisory
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Wil Catlin liked thisWil Catlin liked thisStarting strong this week - Now that most of my onboarding has wrapped up, I've begun my ramp-up period. Super exciting stuff! Building new sequences in our interface leaves so much room for creativity. I'm focusing now on building a script to get on the phone and start my cold calling journey. Feel free to leave any tips/tricks you've picked up on, or things you like/dislike about cold calls. Wishing everyone a great close to the month of August!
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Wil Catlin liked thisWil Catlin liked thisIt's been a summer for the books with FIFA World Cup, Sail Boston, MA250 celebrations and families heading off on summer adventures. Behind it all are the dedicated teams at Boston Logan, Worcester Regional Airport, Hanscom Field, Flynn Cruiseport Boston, and across our organization, working every day to keep people moving safely, reliably, and with a great experience. It's an exciting time for Massachusetts, and we're just getting started.
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Wil Catlin liked thisWil Catlin liked thisWe recently completed the financing of 14 Beacon Street in Boston with Needham Bank. Located directly across from the Boston Common, 14 Beacon is a truly irreplaceable Boston asset, with long-term tenants including the Boston Athenæum and the Congregational Library & Archives. We feel fortunate to own and steward a property with this history, location, and enduring relevance to the city. Thank you to Kevin Finke and the team at Needham Bank for their thoughtful approach and execution, Jonathan Schneider at Boston Realty Advisors for arranging the financing, Ann Sobolewski at Prince Lobel for her counsel, and our team at Faros Properties for all of their work on the transaction. We greatly appreciated Needham's partnership throughout the transaction and look forward to doing much more together.
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Wil Catlin liked thisWil Catlin liked thisCongratulations to the CREW Boston members named among Bisnow’s 2026 Boston Power Women! This year’s honorees represent leaders across Boston’s commercial real estate industry who are making an impact through their leadership, expertise, and contributions to the industry. Development, Design & Construction Leaders: Lisa Serafin, President, Athena Real Estate Development LLC; Amy Korté, AIA, LEED AP, President, Arrowstreet; and Erin Murphy Rafferty, SVP, Suffolk Construction Company. Capital Markets, Portfolio & Strategy Leaders: Lisa Strope, MBA, CRE, Partner, TA Realty; and Kerry (Olson) Hawkins, VP, Senior Director Asset Management, Hobbs Brook Real Estate. Advisory, Transaction & Marketing Leaders: Cynthia Keliher, Co-Chair Real Estate Practice, McCarter & English, LLP; Kate Carter, Shareholder & Director, Dain, Torpy, Le Ray, Wiest & Garner, P.C.; Karen O'Malley, Director and Co-Chair Pro Bono Committee, Goulston & Storrs P.C.; Andrea Simpson Simpson, Executive Vice President – Creative, Brand & Communications, Davis; Jill Sharif, Vice President – National Business Development, Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company ® National Commercial Services; and Barbara Trachtenberg, Shareholder, Polsinelli. The honorees will be celebrated at Bisnow’s Boston Power Women Cocktail & Award Ceremony on October 22. Congratulations to all of our members on this well-deserved recognition! https://lnkd.in/eJ_T6pYJ CREW Network
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Wil Catlin liked thisWil Catlin liked thisFive Rubin Rudman attorneys were named to Best Lawyers 2027 for their contribution to real estate law: Chair Andrea Young Toulouse and partners Andrew Kara, Michael Novaria, Joseph R. "Joe" Tarby III, Paul Baccari, and Jim Sperling. Our team advises clients at every stage of the real estate lifecycle, from initial acquisition, due diligence, and zoning to permitting, financing, construction, leasing, tax strategy, and disposition, and more.
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Wil Catlin liked thisWil Catlin liked thisFinancial Education of a 4th Grader: Situational Awareness Police tracked me down last night for kidnapping. All is good, but here is how/why it happened. Often I spontaneously role-play situations with my daughter. It can be pretending she is a cafe owner discussing a private equity investment, a waitress discussing an order, or lender discussing collateral and terms - all in the name of learning. And sometimes it's more life skill and situational awareness focused. Like last night. We were shopping together at a grocery store. I have her push the cart; eventually it filled up ($300+ in groceries...), and I was left carrying a few bulky items. When we got into line, I asked her, as if we didn't know each other, "Excuse me, given I only have a few items, can I cut in front of you, please?" Of course, she was polite and let me pass. And then I followed up with: "Are you shopping alone?" To which my 9yr old daughter, with a massive cart of groceries, answered: "No, my dad is right there," pointing to the random man in line in front of me. Neither of us thought much about it until we got home about 30 min later, when I received a call from a Police Detective: "Were you at the grocery store today with your daughter?" "A person reported a child shopping alone getting into a car with a strange man and with your license plate." Somehow they had tracked down my family to confirm I had a child before calling, which was good. And we sorted it out fairly quickly with a few laughs and evidence/confirmation that she was indeed my daughter and with me. First, grateful that my daughter was indeed at home with me. Second, impressed how quickly the Police tracked me down. It gives me comfort. And while I don't love getting called a strange man (to be fair, just straight back from 4 days on the Cape), I am glad that someone called it in. (They must have waited in the parking lot long enough to see us get into the car, so it took some effort). It made my daughter's night and day. And outside of a, thankfully, funny story, it also relates to training and education. There is only so much that can be taught in books. Preparation for life, finance, private equity often takes a little role-playing - acting on your feet with situational awareness takes training and testing. Play out the hypothetical to test in case it becomes real. And she wants to become an actress. "If ever asked how good are you?" Answer: "Almost had my dad arrested for kidnapping his own daughter at the grocery store..." Not investment or parenting advice.
Experience & Education
Volunteer Experience
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Board Member - Event Host
Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Program
- Present 20 years 1 month
Children
Lovelane is a therapeutic horseback riding program that has a dramatic impact on the physical and cognitive development of children with special needs through its holistic approach and unique, supportive environment.
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Den Leader - Finance Direcctor
Cub Scout Pack 88
- 3 years 1 month
Children
Wayland Pack 88 is a civic based, chartered organization supporting Scouting in Wayland, Massachusetts. We are a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All are welcome to participate in our programs.
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Board Member
Tremont School
- Present 7 years 9 months
Education
Member, Facilities Committee
Member, Finance Committee
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Vistage Executive Leadership
Participant
- Present
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