Practice Areas & Industries: Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview
Our practice covers every aspect of the development process, from acquisition to finance, formation and tax structuring, development, leasing, investment and litigation. Our clients include major lending institutions, local and regional, residential, and commercial developers, contractors, brokers and investors, with a focus on the perspective and needs of each client. We can help you with: Commercial Leasing Advising on both the legal and practical aspects of commercial leasing. We represent clients who lease space across the United States and in other countries, and our attorneys frequently prepare and negotiate leases for shopping centers, office buildings, industrial buildings and commercial condominiums. Entity Formation and Tax Structuring Advising owners, developers, and investors on the anticipated tax consequences of various real estate transactions and form business entities designed to achieve their tax objectives. Development and Acquisitions Providing clients with comprehensive legal and business services through all phases of acquisition and development, including site evaluation and land use planning, drafting development documents, tax structuring, and entity formation advice. We also perform, review and analyze due diligence in regard to title, survey, environmental risk and zoning issues. Land Use & Zoning Formulating rezoning requests and appearing before zoning boards and other governmental bodies, as well as negotiating with governmental agencies on rezoning. We regularly assist our clients on permitting issues for development projects. Construction Preparing and negotiating construction contracts, owner/architect agreements, and subcontractor or supplier agreements. In conjunction with our litigators, employ dispute resolution for construction projects, including disputes related to construction, design, contract administration, and the provision of goods and services by suppliers and subcontractors. Real Estate Litigation Litigating real estate disputes, including title defense, commercial landlord-tenant, development and construction contracts, foreclosures, receivership, condemnation, and bankruptcy matters. Finance Assisting institutional and individual investors and lenders who finance real estate acquisitions, development, and construction as well as owners, investors, and developers in search of debt and equity capital. We structure transactions, conduct due-diligence investigations, and document and close all types of financing arrangements. Bankruptcy & Creditor's Rights Providing advice to clients facing bankruptcy, foreclosure, and other workouts of problem loans collateralized in whole or in part with real estate. We help clients structure loans and other transactions to minimize the risks inherent to bankruptcy proceedings.