Michael K. Kuhn
Michael K. Kuhn focuses on commercial real estate, with a particular emphasis on office and retail leasing, within the firm’s Real Estate Group.
With 38 years of practice in Houston commercial real estate, Michael brings a wealth of experience and practical knowledge of the local market to the advantage of his real estate clients. Over his career, Michael has handled all types of real estate acquisition, disposition, development, and leasing matters. With significant experience in most every area of real estate law, he is able to responsively address clients’ needs and to create innovative solutions.
Michael is a recognized authority in office and retail leasing. He routinely drafts and negotiates commercial leases and advises clients on complex leasing issues and strategies.
B.A., magna cum laude, Duke University
J.D., University of Virginia School of Law
Texas, 1979
Michael has handled office leasing for landlords in downtown office buildings containing nearly 5,000,000 square feet of office space, for over 17 consecutive years. Currently, Michael is responsible for the leasing at six Class “A” high rise office buildings in the Houston, Texas Central Business District, plus Houston’s only downtown enclosed shopping mall. His practice is not limited to either Houston or Texas, and he routinely handles office and retail leasing matters throughout the country.
- Negotiated a key retail lease at a major Houston destination shopping center, with a New York-based national upscale hamburger restaurant chain.
- Successfully negotiated a significant lease with a national cosmetics and beauty product retailer at a prominent Houston shopping center.
- Represented the landlord in negotiations of a “burger and beer” concept restaurant (second in Houston) in a key location in an upscale Houston shopping center.
- Represented the landlord/redeveloper of a Fort Lauderdale high-rise building, in the relocation of the ground floor national bank to temporary premises during the redevelopment phase and a permanent lease with the bank upon project completion.
- Successfully renegotiated an existing lease with a prominent consumer electronics retailer, for the relocation of the store to a new downsized location in the same shopping center, in Irving, Texas.
- Handled negotiations of critical anchor store retail lease with a major discount retailer for the turnaround of a transitional shopping center in Dunkirk, New York.
- Successfully negotiated a lease restructuring in a downtown Chicago office building involving a Fortune 500 global document technology company’s spin-off of its HR consulting business line.
- Handled the 10-year extension of a headquarters lease for a major Houston-based engineering firm, downsizing from three floors to two.
- Successfully negotiated a space reduction and lease extension amendment for a major energy company in bankruptcy for space in a prominent Class “A” Houston CBD office building.
- Counseled numerous office building clients on the impact of new Texas “Open Carry” legislation and crafted strategies and procedures for office building managers to deal with firearms in the workplace.
- Handled the substantial expansion of lease space for a European-based manufacturing/electronics company, at a Class “A” suburban Houston office building, addressing issues arising from the tenant’s consolidation of various business divisions into the building.
- Negotiated a 40,000 square foot major anchor lease with a national off-price department store retailer, within a major “Town Center” shopping district in New Braunfels, Texas.
- Successfully negotiated a large corporate headquarter transfer to a Dallas/Fort Worth area office building.
- Handled lease negotiations for a 60,000 square foot retail lease to a major home appliance retailer, including obtaining an exemption to existing exclusions from a neighboring national home improvement chain.
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.)
- Real Estate Law, 2008-2016, 2018-2020
- Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2005-2013
- Top Lawyers, H Texas magazine, 2006-2010
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2004-2007
- Ranked for Real Estate – Texas
Webinar for Strafford Publications, “Allocating Risk in Real Estate Leases: Contractual Indemnities, Additional Insured Endorsements and Waivers of Subrogation,” September 8, 2016
Best Lawyers in America Recognizes 98 Jackson Walker Attorneys
Best Lawyers in America Recognizes 94 Jackson Walker Attorneys
'The Best Lawyers in America' Honors 109 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2020 Edition, With Eight Named "Lawyers of the Year"
Michael Kuhn Serves as Landlord Counsel in Politan Row Food Hall Lease at Rice Village
Practice Experience
Michael has handled office leasing for landlords in downtown office buildings containing nearly 5,000,000 square feet of office space, for over 17 consecutive years. Currently, Michael is responsible for the leasing at six Class “A” high rise office buildings in the Houston, Texas Central Business District, plus Houston’s only downtown enclosed shopping mall. His practice is not limited to either Houston or Texas, and he routinely handles office and retail leasing matters throughout the country.
- Negotiated a key retail lease at a major Houston destination shopping center, with a New York-based national upscale hamburger restaurant chain.
- Successfully negotiated a significant lease with a national cosmetics and beauty product retailer at a prominent Houston shopping center.
- Represented the landlord in negotiations of a “burger and beer” concept restaurant (second in Houston) in a key location in an upscale Houston shopping center.
- Represented the landlord/redeveloper of a Fort Lauderdale high-rise building, in the relocation of the ground floor national bank to temporary premises during the redevelopment phase and a permanent lease with the bank upon project completion.
- Successfully renegotiated an existing lease with a prominent consumer electronics retailer, for the relocation of the store to a new downsized location in the same shopping center, in Irving, Texas.
- Handled negotiations of critical anchor store retail lease with a major discount retailer for the turnaround of a transitional shopping center in Dunkirk, New York.
- Successfully negotiated a lease restructuring in a downtown Chicago office building involving a Fortune 500 global document technology company’s spin-off of its HR consulting business line.
- Handled the 10-year extension of a headquarters lease for a major Houston-based engineering firm, downsizing from three floors to two.
- Successfully negotiated a space reduction and lease extension amendment for a major energy company in bankruptcy for space in a prominent Class “A” Houston CBD office building.
- Counseled numerous office building clients on the impact of new Texas “Open Carry” legislation and crafted strategies and procedures for office building managers to deal with firearms in the workplace.
- Handled the substantial expansion of lease space for a European-based manufacturing/electronics company, at a Class “A” suburban Houston office building, addressing issues arising from the tenant’s consolidation of various business divisions into the building.
- Negotiated a 40,000 square foot major anchor lease with a national off-price department store retailer, within a major “Town Center” shopping district in New Braunfels, Texas.
- Successfully negotiated a large corporate headquarter transfer to a Dallas/Fort Worth area office building.
- Handled lease negotiations for a 60,000 square foot retail lease to a major home appliance retailer, including obtaining an exemption to existing exclusions from a neighboring national home improvement chain.
Recognition & Accolades
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.)
- Real Estate Law, 2008-2016, 2018-2020
- Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2005-2013
- Top Lawyers, H Texas magazine, 2006-2010
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2004-2007
- Ranked for Real Estate – Texas
Publications & Speeches
Webinar for Strafford Publications, “Allocating Risk in Real Estate Leases: Contractual Indemnities, Additional Insured Endorsements and Waivers of Subrogation,” September 8, 2016