Mike advises and counsels public and private companies, real estate investment trusts, and lending and financial institutions on a variety of sophisticated and complex real estate and business transactions throughout the country. His practice focuses on large-scale joint ventures, portfolio acquisitions, real estate development, and debt and equity financing and restructuring. Mike has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital matters, and joint ventures and strategic partnering. He negotiates and drafts complex purchase agreements, loan documents and other financial instruments, and operating and partnership agreements, many of which contain sophisticated finance, capital contribution, profit participation, distribution, management and control, deadlock and buy/sell provisions. Mike also provides comprehensive legal services in all phases of commercial real estate development and redevelopment projects involving retail centers, shopping malls, office complexes and industrial parks, with special emphasis on golf course, resort and hotel facilities. He is experienced in all aspects of these projects, including land acquisition, due diligence, debt and equity financing, development and management agreements, reciprocal easement agreements, cost-sharing arrangements and CC&Rs, complex ground leases and other commercial leases. Mike is considered one the leading experts in the acquisition, development, and financing of golf courses and country clubs, hotels, marinas, and other resort properties. He devotes a significant portion of his practice to working on transactions for nationally recognized golf course developers and operators. He understands the multifaceted relationship between the resort property and the surrounding community, and skillfully negotiates and handles land use and zoning issues, entitlements, water rights, and sensitive habitat and hazardous materials remediation. Mike also advises club owners on the formation and restructuring of equity/non-equity membership programs and other operational issues. Representative Experience Represents the leading self storage company in California in acquiring over $140 million in assets through joint ventures and financing deals. Represents client acquiring portfolios of service stations in major markets throughout the Western United States from a global petrochemical company. Represented client in the formation of a joint venture with a capital partner to fund $40 million for the construction and development of a plant that processes nut feed stock to produce activated carbon for filtration devices. Represents client in the development of a shopping center and the expansion of a sewer treatment facility in Valley Center, California, including development agreements and CC&R, acquisition of land, financing, and national tenant credit leasing. Represents client in development of a 37 acre office campus in Riverside, California, including acquisition of land, joint venture financing, development agreements and CC&R, and ground lease and complex office leases for the entire campus property. Handled the dismantling and dissolution of a $200 million petroleum coke terminal in the port of Los Angeles, including over a year and a half of complex negotiations with labor groups, the operating management company, equipment lessors, salvage purchasers, the tax assessor, and environmental agencies. Lead counsel on the sale and acquisition of a number of golf courses in the western United States, including the acquisition of the 36-hole Southern California PGA Golf Course in Beaumont, California. Represented a Southern California-based automotive dealership in the joint venture financing and acquisition of multiple dealerships throughout the Southwestern U.S. Presentations and Speaking Engagements "Global Golf Development: Where It's Headed," Golf, Inc. 2008 Fall Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona (September 30, 2008). "Golf Community Planning Workshop: A Live Session," Golf, Inc. 2008 Spring Conference, Miami, FL (April 21, 2008). "Negotiate the Best Deal: Community vs. Golf," Golf, Inc. 2007 Spring Conference, Austin, Texas (March 21, 2007). Publications San Diego Business Journal Monthly Real Estate Question & Answers (March 23, 2005). Author, "Trade Secrets," Golf, Inc. (March 2005). Other Distinctions Named one of ten "Best Attorneys in the Golf Industry" by Golf, Inc. (2011) Achieved an AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell Selected as California Leading Lawyer in Real Estate by Chambers USA (2007, 2008, 2009) Recipient of award from the Elite Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Network for his "outstanding commitment and support to helping disabled veteran businesses." Work Experience Partner, Troutman Sanders LLP, 2009-present Partner, Ross, Dixon & Bell, LLP, 2000-2008 Associate, Miller, Boyko and Bell, LLP, 1994-2000 Memberships · San Diego County Bar Association · The State Bar of California · Century Club of San Diego Officer and Board Member · IMPACT San Diego, A LEAD San Diego Program, Class of 2011 · INFLUENCE San Diego, A LEAD San Diego Program, Class of 2011 · National Law School Advisory Council, University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame Alumni Club of San Diego Board of Directors · City of Solana Beach Budget & Finance Committee · Boy Scouts of America, San Diego-Imperial Council, Vice Chair of the Champions of Scouting Committee · United Way of San Diego County, Campaign Cabinet Member · St. James Academy Advisory Board · Lomas Santa Fe Country Club Advisory Board of Governors, Former Member |