Residential mortgage industry was one of the first dominoes to fall in the economic downturn. Now many believe the commercial real estate market is teetering. With more than 500,000 U.S. jobs lost in December, the steep job losses are causing office vacancy rates to spike in cities across the country. As businesses shed workers and office space, fears that a wave of commercial property foreclosures is about to occur.  Real estate attorney Kathleen Wu of Dallas-based Andrews Kurth LLP predicts an industry shakeup that will affect everyone from office tenants to far-flung investors of securitized commercial real estate mortgages. "We are in the midst of a significant market correction," Wu says. "If there is a silver lining to this trend it's that the industry will experience some rightsizing and a greater focus on corporate responsibility. During this cycle, there are buying opportunities for those waiting on the sidelines with access to capital or credit." To speak with Ms. Wu about commercial real estate trends, contact Robert Tharp at 800-559-4534 or robert@androvett.com.