Michelle Ebben Photo

Michelle Wagner Ebben

Partner
Practice Group Chair, Real Estate

Overview

Michelle provides strategic counsel and representation to clients involved in a range of construction, real estate and project development matters.

Representative work includes:

  • Complex real estate purchase, sale, leasing, and sale-leaseback transactions
  • Entitlement processes and resolving zoning and land use issues
  • Public financing and public-private partnership developments
  • Easements, licenses, and rights-of-entry agreements
  • Developing and implementing best practices on large-scale, high-ticket construction, and development projects
  • Advising on single-family, multi-family and condominium developments
  • Negotiating, drafting and advising clients on construction-related agreements
  • Handling real estate construction related disputes, such as contractor and design defect cases, lien claims, insurance coverage claims, and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) matters

Experience

Recent representations include:

  • Assisting industrial large employer in the multifaceted acquisition and development of an environmentally complicated site, including navigating TIF funding and stakeholder interests
  • Providing a higher education client with RFP assistance, construction contract drafting and entitlement guidance
  • Aiding private real estate investor in tax advantage acquisitions and dispositions of multi-family projects
  • Advising a public institution client on bond financing, architect, owner’s representative and construction contracts, and development agreements of a complex, multi-million catalytic project
  • Assisting steel fabricator in the purchase and sale of environmentally contaminated property and rezoning and addressing other entitlement matters affecting the property for the future development
  • Training and implementing contracting best practices for renewal energy client across multiple sites in the upper Midwest
  • Representing a real estate investment firm in the refinancing of a large, residential housing complex
  • Advising agricultural industry client on disposition of complex, multi-parcel sites
  • Negotiating and drafting prime and subcontracts for utility contractor for projects throughout U.S.
  • Assisting real estate developer in the acquisition, financing, entitlement work of a unique lakeshore residential condominium development
  • Aiding general contractor in development of large, mixed use urban developments, including office, retail, and student and market-rate housing
  • Providing advice to retailer on site selection, acquisition, development and financing – including TIF funding – of multiple sites throughout upper Midwest
  • Advising public housing authority on multiple development issues, including  providing advice on open records and public bidding requirements, utility and cellular tower leases and easements, low-income housing tax credit financing requirements, and public-private partnership opportunities

Honors & Recognitions

  • Best Lawyers®, Women in the Law (Milwaukee, WI), Construction Law, and Real Estate Law, 2022-Present
  • Notable Women in Law, BizTimes Media, 2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Construction Law and Real Estate Law, 2020-present
  • The Midwest’s Best Lawyers©, Construction Law and Real Estate Law, 2021
  • Up and Coming Lawyers, Wisconsin Law Journal, 2016
  • Recipient, CALI Excellence for the Future Award
  • Member, Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society

Professional Activities

  • Member of Board of Directors, Milwaukee Bar Association
  • Secretary and Member of Board of Directors, WCREW
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Wisconsin Bar Association
  • Member, Commercial Association of Realtors – Wisconsin
  • Member, Association of General Contractors
  • Former President and Board Member, Momentum Milwaukee

Education

Bar Admission

Community Involvement

  • Former Member, Village of Hales Corners Building Board
  • Former Member, Village of Hales Corners Board of Review
  • Former Commissioner, Village of Hales Corners Police and Fire Commission

Insights

Education

Bar Admission

Community Involvement

  • Former Member, Village of Hales Corners Building Board
  • Former Member, Village of Hales Corners Board of Review
  • Former Commissioner, Village of Hales Corners Police and Fire Commission
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