James H. Gormley, Jr., is a special counsel in the Real Estate and Construction Practices at Foley & Lardner LLP. He has more than 20 years of experience in the representation of mortgage lenders and corporate borrowers in business loans, construction finance, and permanent mortgage loan transactions. He has substantial credentials in the counsel and representation of businesses and municipal authorities in the finance and acquisition of real estate, land use, zoning, conditional use and variance permitting, licensing, and operative municipal law. He also has significant experience in drafting and negotiating design and construction contracts for a diverse group of property owners and developers.
One example of the unique combination of real estate and municipal law experience that Mr. Gormley possesses was demonstrated through his role advising a cellular telephone company as to zoning matters. He was responsible for obtaining zoning approvals for new tower locations in a number of communities throughout southeastern Wisconsin while avoiding areas that were potentially controversial.
Mr. Gormley is admitted to practice in the State of Wisconsin, the Federal District Courts of the Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
In recognition of his experience, Mr. Gormley has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell's peer review rating system.
Mr. Gormley earned an MBA at Arizona State University and attended Marquette University Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Marquette Law Review and graduated magna cum laude in 1980. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy (B.S., engineering mechanics) and was an Air Force flight instructor for several years. Mr. Gormley served as president of the Village of Whitefish Bay and as chairman of its Plan Commission for 12 years. He is currently a member of the board of the North Shore Fire Department. He was selected as an "Outstanding Home Town Leader" in 1995 by the National Towns Association.
He is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Bar Association, and the Milwaukee North Sunrise Rotary Club.