Rob Plowden, a member of Sutherland's Real Estate Practice Group, has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial real estate and regularly represents clients in purchase and sale, development, leasing and joint venture transactions for office, industrial, retail, multi-family, data center and mixed-use real estate projects located throughout the United States. He has handled transactions throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
Rob has particular experience in developing and leasing data centers, contact centers and colocation facilities. His experience includes negotiating data center leases, service level agreements, data center facility management agreements, tax incentives, power purchase agreements and joint ventures for the development and acquisition of data centers.
Rob is accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Accredited Professional (LEED AP). As a LEED AP, Rob advises developers and owners on the LEED process and on "green" legal issues generally.
Representative Experience
Rob's recent representative experience includes:
Data Center, Contact Center and Colocation Facilities
· Representing a client in the development, leasing and sale of 56 Marietta, one of the nation's premier carrier neutral data centers/interconnect facilities.
· Representing a client in the development, leasing and sale of several build-to-suit data centers and contact centers throughout the United States.
· Representing a developer of wholesale and enterprise data centers throughout the United States.
Office Properties
· Representing a financial services company in leasing office space throughout the United States.
· Representing a client in the development, leasing and sale of a Class-A office project in Midtown Atlanta.
· Representing a client in the development and leasing of two of the premier Class-A office buildings in downtown Columbia, South Carolina.
Industrial Properties
· Representing a consumer products company in leasing warehouse and distribution space throughout the United States.
· Representing a client in the acquisition of land and negotiation of a sale-leaseback of a corporate campus and research and design facility for a California-based satellite manufacturer.
· Representing a client in the 800,000-square-foot build-to-suit lease for a distribution center in Georgia.
· Representing a client in the 750,000-square-foot build-to-suit lease for a distribution center in California.
· Representing a client in the 300,000-square-foot lease for a distribution center in Florida.
· Representing one of the nation's largest wall board distributors in acquisition, leasing and property management issues throughout the Southeast.
Retail Properties
· Representing a client in the formation of programmatic joint venture to acquire approximately $1 billion of retail properties.
· Representing a client in the development and leasing of shopping centers and lifestyle centers in Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama.
· Representing one of the world's largest retailers in acquisition, development and leasing matters throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
Mixed-Use Projects
· Representation of an institutional apartment developer in connection with a residential, retail and hotel development involving apartments located above ground floor retail.
· Development, leasing and sale of a 625-acre project with residential and office components and a retail component anchored by a Wal-Mart Super Center.
Professional Honors and Awards
· Selected for inclusion in Georgia Super Lawyers® "Rising Stars" (2005-2011)
Professional and Community Involvement
· Member, NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association
· Member, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
· Member, Urban Land Institute, Atlanta Chapter
· Associate Member, U.S. Green Building Council
· Board of Editors, Retail Law Strategist
Recent Publications and Speaking Engagements
· Quoted, "Agree to 'Landlord Leasing Covenant' to Keep Center Free of Exclusives," Commercial Lease Law Insider (August 2007)
· Author, "Landlord Strategies for Addressing Exclusive Use Rights in Leases," Retail Law Strategist (April 2006)
· Speaker, "Is Your Estoppel Certificate Enforceable?" 2011 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference (October 26-28, 2011)
· Speaker, "CAM Costs, Caps, Audits and New Ideas: The View from Both Sides of the Table," 2010 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference (November 3 - 6, 2010)
· Speaker, "Advanced Assignment and Subletting Issues," Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Georgia State Bar (January 14, 2010)
· Speaker, "Lease Assignments and Subleases: Distinctions with a Difference," 2009 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference (October 21-24, 2009)
· Speaker, "Enforceability of Estoppel Certificates," 2009 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference (October 21-24, 2009)
· Moderator, "Healthcare's Pulse - Trends and Opportunities for a Healthy Development Strategy," 2009 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Seminar (June 2009)
· Speaker, "Sustainability and Green Issues in Retail Development," 2008 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference (October 22-25, 2008)
· Speaker, "Drafting Commercial Real Estate Leases: The Ins and Outs of Protecting Your Interests," National Business Institute Seminar (August 16, 2007)
· Speaker, "Opening the Door for Multiple Offers: A Practical Guide for Real Estate Sales," Lorman Education Services National Conference Call (July 2007)
· Speaker, "Advanced Lease Issues from an Operational Perspective," International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Law Conference (October 2006)
· Speaker, "Drafting Commercial Real Estate Leases: The Ins and Outs of Protecting Your Interests," National Business Institute Seminar (March 2006)
· Speaker, "Basic Commercial Leases in Georgia," Lorman Education Services Seminar (February 2004)
· Speaker, "Drafting and Negotiating Georgia Commercial Real Estate Leases," National Business Institute Seminar (May 2003)
· Speaker, "Summary of Georgia Landlord-Tenant Law for Commercial Leases," 2002 Real Property Law Institute (May 2002)
· Speaker, "Telecom, 'Dot-com' and High-Tech Leasing," 2000 Real Property Law Institute (May 2000)
News
Sutherland Represents Freepoint Commodities in Acquisition of J.P. Morgan Concentrates Business
May 3, 2012
More than 40 Sutherland Attorneys Recognized as 2011 Georgia Super Lawyers
March 24, 2011
Sutherland Represents Spectrum Brands in Merger With Russell Hobbs - Addition to Spectrum's Portfolio Creates $3 Billion Consumer Products Company
June 28, 2010
Sutherland Real Estate Partner R. Robinson Plowden Receives LEED Professional Accreditation
March 17, 2009
"Agree to 'Landlord Leasing Covenant' to Keep Center Free of Exclusives"
Real Estate Partner Rob Plowden comments on the new concept of a landlord leasing covenant....
8/1/2007
Legal Alerts
Legal Alert: Georgia Legislature Revises Mechanics and Materialman's Liens Laws
March 24, 2009
Legal Alert: Georgia Legislature Revises Mechanics and Materialman's Liens Laws
July 31, 2008
Publications
Quoted, "Agree to 'Landlord Leasing Covenant' to Keep Center Free of Exclusives"
August 2007 Reprinted with permission Commercial Lease Law Insider
Events
ICSC 2009 U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference
October 21-24, 2009
Healthcare's Pulse: Trends and Opportunities for a Healthy Development Strategy
June 9, 2009
"Green Development and Sustainability Initiatives," ICSC U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference
October 22-25, 2008
2008 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference
October 22-25, 2008
NBI Seminar - "Drafting Commercial Real Estate Leases: The Ins and Outs of Protecting Your Interests"
August 16, 2007
"Opening the Door for Multiple Offers: A Practical Guide for Real Estate Sales," Lorman Education Services National Conference Call
July 2007
"Advanced Lease Issues from an Operational Perspective," International Council of Shopping Centers Law Conference
October 2006
2003 National Business Institute Seminar
March 2006
"Basic Commercial Leases in Georgia," Lorman Education Services Seminar
February 2004
National Business Institute Seminar
May 2003
"Summary of Georgia Landlord-Tenant Law for Commercial Leases," 2002 Real Property Law Institute
May 2002
"Telecom, 'Dot-com' and High Tech Leasing," 2000 Real Property Law Institute
May 2000