Project Development & Financing

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 and leasing transactions, entitlement processes, easements, licenses and rights-of-entry agreements, developing and implementing best practices on large-scale, high-ticket construction and development projects, and more. 

Renee has over 20 years of experience as a paralegal in both the environmental and real estate practice areas. She assists attorneys in all aspects of management and closing of residential and commercial real estate transactions. Renee has experience with drafting real estate documents, analyzing surveys and title documents and land use planning.

Thom brings deep knowledge and significant experience to his real estate and finance practice. His focus includes real estate development, urban redevelopment, municipal finance, land use and zoning, tax incremental financing, and general municipal law. Prior to joining Michael Best, Thom represented the City of Milwaukee as an Assistant City Attorney in the Office of the City Attorney.

Mike is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and serves as the Firm Hiring Partner. He is also the former chair of the firm’s Transactional Practice Group. He is an experienced transactional attorney who serves as outside general counsel to many real estate investment and corporate clients, and is seen as strategic counselor and advisor.

Ryan is a paralegal in the firm’s Transactional Practice Group. He performs detailed due diligence for commercial and agricultural real estate transactions throughout the country, with an emphasis in: Arkansas, Illinois, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Ryan conducts property research, ALTA/NSPS land survey analysis, title and policy review, and is responsible for drafting a wide range of transactional and closing documents.

Nancy is a partner in the Real Estate group. Her more than 30 years of experience covers a broad range of real estate law, including assisting clients in purchases, sales and leases of property, and development and zoning work; representing borrowers and lenders in real estate loans; assisting in foreclosures and workouts; advising on questions of condominium law; negotiating construction and architects' contracts; and assisting in real estate litigation.

Katie helps clients navigate real estate matters including financing, leasing, and acquisitions and dispositions. She works with lenders to negotiate and document financing transactions, and advises businesses and private equity firms on the purchase and sale of companies with significant real estate assets.

Paul crafts solutions to the business and legal challenges faced by his clients, who value his tenacity, responsiveness, and creativity. His practice concentrates on commercial real estate with a health care focus. 

As a member of the firm’s transactional practice group, Paul focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate, including: representation of clients from sole proprietorships to multiple Fortune 500 companies in complex lease negotiations as both landlord and tenant, representation of buyers and sellers of commercial property and agricultural land through all aspects of the purchase and sale process, including negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, coordination and review of due diligence, title and survey review, drafting and review of closing documents, and closing, and representation of clients in negotiations with governmental entities involving re-zoning, public financing, and numerous other entitlements and approvals.