Alan C. Sheppard, Jr. is a commercial real estate attorney and shareholder in Greenberg Traurig's Orlando office. Alan has wide-ranging experience in commercial real estate finance and development, with a particular emphasis on mortgage and construction financing, lease financing, mezzanine lending as well as asset-based finance and working capital loan transactions. He also is experienced in structured finance transactions in commercial and energy project finance transactions. His structured finance experience includes sale/leasebacks, synthetic leases, conduit lending, syndicated loans, Rule 144(a) exempt offerings, and securitizations. Alan's practice has included both lender and borrower representation. His expertise also includes structuring financing transactions for optimum documentary stamp tax treatment. Alan also routinely counsels Florida-based developers in the acquisition and development of real property for office, industrial, residential and mixed uses and provides advice to out-of-state and foreign investors on Florida law issues in such transactions. He also has substantial experience representing builders and developers of residential subdivisions and multi family housing developments in the development and entitlement process. He has also closed numerous asset portfolio transactions throughout the Sunbelt and represented a large grocery supermarket chain in its acquisition, disposition, and financing of various stores, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities. Alan, also conducts land use and entitlement due diligence on various development and energy projects.
Alan is a past-president of the Florida chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), and was the Chairman of its Public Affairs Committee for five consecutive years. In addition to his state involvement, Alan also chairs NAIOP's National Environment and Infrastructure Committee. Through his work with NAIOP, he actively lobbies on behalf of the commercial development community both in Washington, D.C. and in Tallahassee.
Areas of Concentration
· Commercial real estate development and finance
Significant Representations
· Representation of banks and other lending institutions in negotiating, structuring, and documenting real estate secured loans, including construction loans, loans for the acquisition and development of residential subdivisions, conventional mortgage loans, working capital lines of credit and syndicated loan transactions.
· Representation of la arge homebuilder in acquisition and development of numerous residential subdivisions and as lead counsel in a $750,000,000 corporate refinance transaction.
· Representation of a large grocery supermarket chain throughout the Sunbelt in its "self-develop" program, which included assistance with site selection, negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, development and implementation of form contracts, assistance with project due diligence, and title, survey, land use and environmental advice. Also handled the mortgage financing, leasing, and sale of outparcels in these "big box" centers.
· Representation of a large Florida-based development firm in its office, industrial, and retail development work, including structuring joint venture agreements with equity partners. Representation included negotiating purchase and sale contracts, due diligence, financing and horizontal development work.
· Negotiated, drafted and closed a joint venture agreement between a large Florida landholder and a national development firm, as the developer, on a 50-plus-acre, mixed use site in suburban Atlanta, Georgia. The project was a significant live-work-play development, incorporating many New Urbanist elements.
· Represented the developer of a 200-acre industrial park in St. Johns County, Florida. Representation included negotiation of the purchase and sale agreement and acquisition of the land, obtaining a Major Modification to an existing PUD, and negotiating the first incentive agreement with the County.
· Closed a $400 million permanent lease finance facility. Represented the Borrower in a transaction involving the sale/leaseback of 15 manufacturing and distribution facilities. The deal was financed by a Rule 144(a) exempt public debt offering of mortgage pass-through certificates issued by the owner entity.
· Closed numerous traditional sale/leaseback transactions in the range of $60 million each, with a major life insurance company.
· Closed a $500 million revolving line of credit and synthetic lease facility for a large grocery supermarket chain.
· Represented the lender as lead agent in a $200 million syndicated revolving line of credit facility to provide capital for the acquisition, construction and development of office parks by the Borrower.
· Represented the developer in the acquisition, construction and mezzanine financing of $219,000,000 resort condominium development.
· Representation of cogeneration facility operator in the project financing of a cogeneration facility in Florida.
· Participation in review of project lease financing documents on various energy and project finance transactions.
Professional & Community Involvement
· National Association of Industrial and Office Properties of Florida (NAIOP)
- Chair, National NAIOP Environmental and Infrastructure Committee
- Past President, NAIOP of Florida
- Board Member, Central Florida Chapter
· Chair of Board, Children's Home Society of Florida Central Florida Division
· Chair, Jacksonville Bar Association, Real Property Section, 2001-2003
· Member, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Government Affairs Committee, International Affairs Committee
· Board Member, Chinese Business Education Center
· Membership Committee, The River Club, 1997-1999
Awards & Recognition
· Team Member, Law360 "Real Estate Practice Group of the Year" (2011)
· Member, Winning Team, Chambers USA Award for Excellence, Real Estate (2010)
· Recipient, NAIOP "Distinguished Service Award" (2000)
Internship
· Intern, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for International Private Enterprise, Washington, D.C., 1986