About

Sixty-three of Husch Blackwell’s over 600 attorneys concentrate their practices in Real Estate & Development law, and an an additional 31 attorneys augment our real estate practice.  Our Real Estate & Development team has garnered a national reputation for providing sophisticated interdisciplinary solutions to our clients’ complex challenges. As real estate attorneys, part of our reward is seeing our clients’ projects etched in the skylines of major metropolitan areas throughout the United States. From acquisitions and dispositions, corporate real estate, leasing, finance, development, construction and design, zoning, land use, municipal law, flood control, taxation, hospitality, litigation, and procuring economic development incentives, our group has provided public and private, large and small, clients the legal support necessary change the physical landscape of our communities.

The Real Estate & Development Law Update gives us an opportunity to share our expertise with a wider community. It will feature original insight and commentary on important trends affecting owners, managers, developers, investors, and financiers of real estate. This blog is not intended to be a “megaphone” but is rather an invitation to join us in discussing and analyzing the current legal issues in today’s real estate market.

Editors:

David Richardson
Partner

As Chair of the Real Estate & Development Department in the firm’s St. Louis office, David has focused his practice on real estate development and municipal law. He represents both developers and municipalities in land use, real estate and other related litigation matters. His vast knowledge and fervor for real estate law makes him an expert advisor and litigator on a variety of real estate transactions, including purchasing, sales, leasing, construction and financing. David has been recognized as a top real estate attorney by many organizations and publications and speaks at conferences and seminars across the country.

Kenneth Eathington
Partner

Kenny practices real estate, corporate, environmental and bankruptcy law, as well as business and estate planning at the firm’s Peoria, Illinois office. He represents clients in various commercial and residential real estate transactions and advises the acquisition or divesting of businesses and locations by negotiating contractual terms, performing due diligence and advising entity formations. Kenny has received many awards throughout his professional and law school careers.

John Crossley
Partner

In the last few years, John has had a hand in some of Kansas City’s most significant real estate development projects that have exceeded $1 billion dollars in total value. John’s practice areas include real estate development, renewable energy financing and municipal law with clients of both public and private entities. Since becoming a partner with the firm in 2006, John has represented clients in various areas of the renewable energy industry, the government, and the construction industry. He has served as counsel for lenders and borrowers on the financing of wind energy projects.

Courtney Hill
Partner

Courtney counsels public and private companies in commercial real estate transactions and loans for financial institutions, corporations and individuals. In her real estate and development practice, Courtney has extensive experience handling the acquisition and disposition of real estate assets for major corporations, both locally and nationwide, and preparing and negotiating significant office leases on behalf of tenants and landlords.

She has represented lending institutions in the origination, servicing and closing of real estate and commercial loans involving apartment complexes, shopping centers, farms, office buildings hotels, special-use facilities and businesses of all types. Courtney has also advised on the resolution, management and disposition of delinquent commercial loans and real estate involving properties located in many states. She has also guided a variety of not-for-profit corporations, including the largest not-for-profit source of salaried corporate internships for talent, on corporate and real estate matters. Courtney works in Husch Blackwell’s St. Louis office.

S. Shawn Whitney
Partner

Shawn, who concentrates his practice in real estate and development, public finance and corporate matters, serves as lead counsel for redevelopment projects across Missouri utilizing tax and development incentives such as federal and state historic tax credits, Brownfield remediation tax credits and tax abatements. He also represents developers and lenders on state and federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit developments and the syndication of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, as well as representing developers in the use of public financing tools such as Community Improvement Districts, Transportation Development Districts and Tax Increment Financing Districts.