Carmela has a commercial real estate transactional practice, with extensive experience in real estate purchase and sale transactions (including acquisition and disposition of industrial and warehouse buildings, biotechnology, laboratory and research and development facilities, office and mixed-use buildings, apartment projects and raw land), and commercial leasing, both landlord- and tenant-side representation, including start-up company tenants. Carmela also represents lenders and borrowers in real estate finance transactions, and has experience in renewable energy transactions, including solar and wind turbine transactions.  Carmela regularly counsels clients on the real estate aspects of stock and asset purchase and sale transactions and corporate mergers and acquisitions, including negotiating the terms of landlord consents and releases and obtaining title insurance coverage for both fee simple and leasehold real property interests.

Carmela has led many real estate teams in fast-paced real estate due diligence investigations and negotiations for national and international mergers and acquisitions, including stock and asset purchase transactions and franchising transactions involving complex landlord issues in multiple states.

In addition, Carmela has experience in general business transactions and transactions that are ancillary to real estate transactions, including special purpose entity operating agreements and formation documents, board and member approval resolutions, license agreements, waiver and release agreements and indemnities.

Prior to joining Nicholas & Tomasevic, LLP, Carmela practiced law in the San Diego office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP from 2000 to 2025.