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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.9

                            MAGUIRE PROPERTIES, INC.
                        555 WEST FIFTH STREET, SUITE 5000
                       LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90013-1010

                                November 7, 2002

Mr. Mark Lammas
[Insert Address]

      RE: EMPLOYMENT TERMS

Dear Mark:

            Maguire Properties, Inc. (the "REIT") and Maguire Properties, L.P.
(the "Operating Partnership" and together with the REIT, the "Company") are
pleased to offer you the positions of Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of the REIT and the Operating Partnership on the following terms,
effective as of the date of the closing of the initial public offering of shares
of the REIT's common stock (the "Effective Date"):

      1. POSITION, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. As of the Effective Date, you
will be employed as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the
REIT and the Operating Partnership. In the capacity of Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary, you will have such duties and responsibilities as
are normally associated with such positions. Your duties may be changed from
time to time by the Company, consistent with your positions. You will report to
the President of the REIT or the Operating Partnership, as applicable, and will
work at our principal offices located in downtown Los Angeles (or such other
location in the Los Angeles area as the Company may utilize as its principal
offices), except for travel to other locations as may be necessary to fulfill
your responsibilities. At the Company's request, you will serve the Company
and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates in other offices and capacities in
addition to the foregoing. In the event that you serve in any one or more of
such additional capacities, your compensation will not be increased beyond that
specified in this letter. In addition, in the event your service in one or more
of such additional capacities is terminated, your compensation, as specified in
this letter, will not be diminished or reduced in any manner as a result of such
termination for so long as you otherwise remain employed under the terms of this
letter.

      2. BASE COMPENSATION. During your employment with the Company, the Company
will pay you a base salary of $250,000 per year, less payroll deductions and all
required withholdings, payable in accordance with the Company's normal payroll
practices and prorated for any partial month of employment. Your base salary may
be subject to increase pursuant to the Company's policies as in effect from time
to time.

      3. ANNUAL BONUS. In addition to the base salary set forth above, you will
be eligible to participate in the Company's incentive bonus plan applicable to
similarly situated executives of


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the Company. The amount of your annual bonus will be based on the attainment of
performance criteria established and evaluated by the Company in accordance with
the terms of such bonus plan as in effect from time to time, provided that,
subject to the terms of such bonus plan, your target annual bonus will initially
be 50% of your annual base salary for such year, and your maximum annual bonus
will initially be 75% of your annual base salary for such year.

      4. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS. Subject to adoption by the Board of Directors
of the REIT and approval by the REIT's stockholders of the REIT's incentive
award plan (the "Incentive Plan"), the REIT will grant you the following
restricted stock awards under the Incentive Plan:

            (a) Initial Grant. The REIT shall, as of the Effective Date, grant
you a number of shares of the REIT's common stock (the "Initial Restricted
Stock") equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) $250,000 by (y) the
initial public officering price of a share of the REIT's common stock. The
Initial Restricted Stock will be granted to you at a purchase price of $0.01 per
share; provided, however, that the aggregate purchase price of the Initial
Restricted Stock shall not exceed $500. The Initial Restricted Stock will vest
in full on the Effective Date. Consistent with the foregoing, the terms and
conditions of the Initial Restricted Stock will be set forth in a restricted
stock agreement to be entered into by you and the REIT which will evidence the
grant of the Initial Restricted Stock; and

            (b) Subsequent Grant. Provided that your employment with the Company
has not terminated, the REIT shall, upon the earlier to occur of (i) the date on
which the REIT makes its annual grants to similarly situated executives under
the Incentive Plan for the year following the year in which the Effective Date
occurs, or (ii) the first anniversary of the Effective Date, grant you a number
of shares of the REIT's common stock (the "Subsequent Restricted Stock") equal
to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) $1,500,000 by (y) the fair market value
(as determined under the Incentive Plan) of a share of the REIT's common stock
on the date of grant. The Subsequent Restricted Stock will be granted to you at
a purchase price of $0.01 per share. The Subsequent Restricted Stock will vest
as follows: twenty percent (20%) of the shares of the Subsequent Restricted
Stock will vest on the date on which the Subsequent Restricted Stock is granted
to you (the "First Vesting Date"), and, subject to your continued employment
with the Company, twenty percent (20%) of the shares of the Subsequent
Restricted Stock will vest on each of the first, second, third and fourth
anniversaries of the First Vesting Date (each a "Subsequent Vesting Date," and
together with the "First Vesting Date," a "Vesting Date"). In the event of a
termination of your employment by the Company without cause (as defined below)
following the date of grant of the Subsequent Restricted Stock, an additional
"Early Termination Percent" of the shares of the Subsequent Restricted Stock
will thereupon immediately vest (i.e., an "Early Termination Percent" of the
shares that would otherwise have vested on the Vesting Date(s) following your
termination of employment will vest on the date of termination). For purposes of
the foregoing, the term "Early Termination Percent" shall mean twenty percent
(20%) if the termination without cause occurs within the first six months after
the immediately preceding Vesting Date, and shall mean forty percent (40%) if
the termination without cause occurs more than six months following the
immediately preceding Vesting Date but prior to the next Subsequent Vesting Date
(i.e., in the second six months of the one year period running from the
immediately preceding Vesting Date until the next Subsequent Vesting


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Date). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the vesting of an
additional Early Termination Percent be deemed to result in greater than 100% of
the Restricted Stock becoming vested. Consistent with the foregoing, the terms
and conditions of the Subsequent Restricted Stock will be set forth in a
restricted stock agreement to be entered into by you and the REIT which will
evidence the grant of the Subsequent Restricted Stock.

      5. ADDITIONAL PAYMENT. As soon as practicable following the Effective
Date, the Company will pay you a lump-sum cash payment of $250,000, subject to
payroll deductions and all required withholdings.

      6. BENEFITS AND VACATION. You will be entitled to participate in all
incentive, savings and retirement plans, practices, policies and programs
maintained or sponsored by the Company from time to time which are applicable to
other similarly situated executives of the Company, subject to the terms and
conditions thereof. You will also be eligible for standard benefits, such as
medical insurance, sick leave, vacations and holidays to the extent applicable
generally to other similarly situated executives of the Company.

      7. COMPENSATION GROSS-UP. The amount of compensation payable to you
pursuant to Sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 above will be "grossed up" as necessary (on
an after-tax basis) to compensate for any additional social security withholding
taxes due as a result of your shared employment by the Operating Partnership,
the REIT and, if applicable, any subsidiary and/or affiliate thereof.

      8. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. As a condition of your
employment with the Company, you agree that during the term of such employment
and any time thereafter, you will not directly or indirectly disclose or
appropriate to your own use, or the use of any third party, any trade secret or
confidential information concerning the REIT, the Operating Partnership, Maguire
Services, Inc., a Maryland corporation, their respective subsidiaries or
affiliates (collectively, the "Maguire Group") or their businesses, whether or
not developed by you, except as it is required in connection with your services
rendered for the Company. You further agree that, upon termination of your
employment, you will not receive or remove from the files or offices of the
Maguire Group any originals or copies of documents or other materials maintained
in the ordinary course of business of the Maguire Group, and that you will
return any such documents or materials otherwise in your possession. You further
agree that, upon termination of your employment, you will maintain in strict
confidence the projects in which any member of the Maguire Group is involved or
contemplating.

      9. NON-SOLICITATION. You further agree that during the term of such
employment and for one year after your employment is terminated, you will not
directly or indirectly solicit, induce, or encourage any employee, consultant,
agent, customer, vendor, or other parties doing business with any member of the
Maguire Group to terminate their employment, agency, or other relationship with
the Maguire Group or such member or to render services for or transfer their
business from the Maguire Group or such member and you will not initiate
discussion with any such person for any such purpose or authorize or knowingly
cooperate with the taking of any such actions by any other individual or entity.


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      10. AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT. Your employment with the Company is "at-will," and
either you or the Company may terminate your employment for any reason
whatsoever (or for no reason) by giving 30 days prior written notice of such
termination to the other party. This at-will employment relationship cannot be
changed except in a writing signed by you and an authorized representative of
the Company.

      11. NON-CAUSE TERMINATION. Should the Company terminate your employment
without cause (as defined below), then, in addition to any other amounts payable
to you through the date of termination of your employment, the Company will pay
you a lump-sum cash severance payment equal to the sum of (x) 100% of your then
current annual base salary, plus (y) 100% of your maximum annual bonus (assuming
that you had remained employed) for the year in which the termination of
employment occurs, plus (z) in the event that such termination of employment
occurs prior to the first anniversary of the Effective Date, $300,000; provided,
however, that in no event shall you or your estate or beneficiaries be entitled
to any such payments hereunder upon any termination of your employment by reason
of your total and permanent disability or your death. Your right to receive the
severance payments set forth herein is conditioned on and subject to your
execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims against the Maguire
Group, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company. For purposes of this
letter, "cause" shall mean

            (i) your willful and continued failure to substantially perform your
      duties with the Company (other than any such failure resulting from your
      incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after a written demand for
      substantial performance is delivered to you by the Company, which demand
      specifically identifies the manner in which the Company believes that you
      have not substantially performed your duties;

            (ii) your willful commission of an act of fraud or dishonesty
      resulting in economic or financial injury to the Company or its
      subsidiaries or affiliates;

            (iii) your conviction of, or entry by you of a guilty or no contest
      plea to, the commission of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude;

            (iv) a willful breach by you of your fiduciary duty to the Company
      which results in economic or other injury to the Company or its
      subsidiaries or affiliates; or

            (v) your willful and material breach of your covenants set forth in
      Section 8 or 9 above.

For purposes of this provision, no act or failure to act on your part will be
considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by you in bad
faith or without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best
interests of the Company.

      12. COMPANY RULES AND REGULATIONS. As an employee of the Company, you
agree to abide by Company rules and regulations as set forth in the Company's
Employee Handbook or as otherwise promulgated.


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      13. PAYMENT OF FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS. The payment or provision to you by
the Company of any remuneration, benefits or other financial obligations
pursuant to this letter will be allocated to the Operating Partnership, the REIT
and, if applicable, any subsidiary and/or affiliate thereof in accordance with
the Employee Sharing and Expense Allocation Agreement, by and between the REIT,
the Operating Partnership, and Maguire Services, Inc., as in effect from time to
time.

      14. WITHHOLDING. The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under
this letter such Federal, state, local or foreign taxes as shall be required to
be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

      15. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. As of the Effective Date, this letter and the
employment terms set forth herein comprise the final, complete and exclusive
agreement between you and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof
and replace and supersede any and all other agreements, offers or promises,
whether oral or written, made to you by any member of the Maguire Group or any
entity (a "Predecessor Employer"), or representative thereof, whose business or
assets any member of the Maguire Group succeeded to in connection with the
initial public offering of the REIT's common stock or the transactions related
thereto. You agree that any such agreement, offer or promise between you and any
member of the Maguire Group or a Predecessor Employer (or any representative
thereof) is hereby terminated and will be of no further force or effect, and you
acknowledge and agree that upon your execution of this letter, you will have no
right or interest in or with respect to any such agreement, offer or promise. In
the event that the Effective Date does not occur, this letter (including,
without limitation, the immediately preceding sentence) will have no force or
effect.

      16. PROOF OF RIGHT TO WORK. As required by law, this offer of employment
is subject to satisfactory proof of your right to work in the United States.




                            [SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]


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      Please confirm your agreement to the foregoing by signing and dating the
enclosed duplicate original of this letter in the space provided below for your
signature and returning it to Rick Gilchrist. Please retain one fully-executed
original for your files.

                                        Sincerely,

                                        Maguire Properties, Inc.,
                                        a Maryland corporation


                                        By: /s/ RICHARD I. GILCHRIST
                                            ------------------------------------
                                        Name: Richard I. Gilchrist
                                        Title: Co-Chief Executive Officer and
                                               President

                                        Maguire Properties, L.P.,
                                        a Maryland limited partnership

                                        By: Maguire Properties, Inc.
                                        Its: General Partner


                                        By: /s/ RICHARD I. GILCHRIST
                                            ------------------------------------
                                        Name: Richard I. Gilchrist
                                        Title: Co-Chief Executive Officer and
                                               President

Accepted and Agreed,
this 7th day of November, 2002.

By: /s/ MARK LAMMAS
    ---------------------------
       Mark Lammas


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