Biography
Kati Orso assists clients in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions and has extensive experience representing landlords and tenants in office, retail, restaurant and medical office building leasing transactions. In addition, Kati regularly represents clients in the acquisition and disposition of retail and office projects, mixed use developments, multi-family residential projects, and unimproved land. As part of her practice, Kati represents private equity firms and portfolio companies in a wide range of portfolio transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions of thousands of real estate assets across the United States.
From 2014 – 2016, Kati served as in‐house counsel for one of the leading retail developers in Texas. In this role she prepared and negotiated retail leases, purchase and sale agreements, and development documents in connection with a real estate portfolio consisting of over 12,000,000 square feet of retail space in Texas and Louisiana. Her experience in-house provided Kati with a unique understanding of the inner workings of a real estate development company and she has developed a keen insight into the challenges her clients face and how to best serve their needs.
Education
B.A, cum laude, Trinity University
J.D., University of Houston Law Center
- Journal of Consumer and Commercial Law, Chief Articles Editor
- Ewer-Oren J.D. Health law Writing Award Recipient
- Dean’s Award Recipient
Bar Admissions
Texas, 2008
Leasing
- Represents national drive-thru coffee chain on portfolio of ground leases and build to suit leases.
- Represented the owner/developer of The Ion in the lease negotiations for Stuff’d Wings located in the Houston Innovation District.
- Handles a commercial leasing portfolio for a national pet healthcare company leasing both in-line and free-standing space in retail centers across the United States.
- Responsible for leasing portfolio of a national healthcare company, including medical office building spaces and service-oriented retail spaces.
- Represents retail developer with a shopping center portfolio consisting of over 12,000,000 square feet of retail space on restaurant ground leases, junior anchor, and anchor leases, including negotiation of major anchor lease with a national discount home furnishings retailer, within a major “Town Center” shopping district in the greater Houston, Texas metropolitan area.
- Represented landlord in 65,000 square foot office lease to a nationally recognized conference and festival company for its Austin, Texas, headquarters.
Acquisitions and Sales
- Represented global private equity firm in an $18.7 billion acquisition of approximately 179 million square feet of urban, infill logistics assets, with specific emphasis on title, survey, and zoning matters.
- Represented global private equity firm on title, survey, and zoning diligence matters for a $1 billion acquisition of a 68 property logistics portfolio located in 10 high-growth markets across the United States.
- Represented global investment firm on title, survey, and zoning matters for a $1.8 billion acquisition of a 48 property senior living portfolio.
- Represented private equity firm in a $29.5 million acquisition of a multi-family residential portfolio.
- Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2021-2022
- “San Antonio’s Outstanding Women in Law,” San Antonio Scene, 2021
- “Best S.A. Lawyers” List, Real Estate Transactions, San Antonio Scene, 2021
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, 2020
- Co-Presenter, “Rent Relief in the Time of Pandemic,” UT Law CLE Bernard O. Dow Leasing Institute (November 2020)
- Co-Author, “Using Letters of Credit for Tenant Credit Enhancement,” ABA Probate & Property, Vol. 27, No. 3 (May/June 2013)
- Speaker and Co-Author of Discussion Materials, “Achieving a Sensible Definition of ‘Gross Sales,’” Roundtable Discussion at the 2013 ICSC U.S. Shopping Center’s Law Conference in San Diego, California
- State Bar of Texas, Real Estate, Probate and Tax Section, Member
- Austin Bar Association, Member
- Real Estate Council of Austin, Member
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Member
- Junior League of Austin, Member
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow