Biography
Michelle Smith is a partner in Jackson Walker’s Austin office with extensive experience in office and retail leasing matters. She regularly counsels landlords and tenants in the preparation and negotiation of leases, amendments, subleases, and other leasing documents. Michelle is particularly skilled at assisting property developers in their lease-up efforts at new office buildings and is proud to have been part of the teams responsible for creating 100% occupancy levels in two new office buildings in the last two years. Occasionally, these new buildings are part of mixed-use developments, and part of Michelle’s experience includes navigating the competing interests of each area of the development during lease negotiations.
Her practice also includes all phases of the ownership of commercial real estate, including the acquisition, disposition, financing, and management of office buildings, shopping centers, condominium projects, and unimproved land. In connection with those projects, she will occasionally advise real estate investors in the structure and formation of joint ventures and other investment vehicles. Additionally, Michelle often represents financial institutions and borrowers in financing various types of commercial real estate. She structures, documents, and closes commercial real estate construction, development, revolving, and term loans.
Education
B.A., cum laude, Washington and Lee University
J.D., cum laude, University of Texas School of Law
Bar Admissions
Texas, 2007
Leasing
- Represented landlord in the negotiation of multiple leases in and subsequent sale of a 129,000 square foot office building in Austin, Texas.
- Negotiated 150,000 square foot office lease to a nationally-recognized tenant in a new mixed-use development in East Austin on behalf of landlord.
- Represented owner of a 1,490,000 square foot portfolio of first-class office buildings in downtown Austin, Texas, including in connection with the negotiation of a lease extension and expansion which increased the value of one of the buildings by $60,000,000.
- Represented landlord in re-leasing of retail center in north Austin, Texas with new anchor tenants.
- Negotiated multiple leases at retail center in south Austin, Texas on behalf of landlord.
- Representation of financial services company in negotiation of lease for new headquarters in south Austin, Texas.
- Assisted in the negotiation 1,000,000 square foot lease to a major oil company in downtown Houston on behalf of landlord.
Finance
- Represented national bank as lender’s counsel in $35,137,000 construction loan for 214,587 square foot office development and five level parking garage known as Rollingwood Center in Austin, Texas.
- Represented state bank as lender’s counsel in $33,000,000 construction loan for 194 room Granduca Hotel in suburban Austin, Texas.
- Represented borrower in acquisition financing of historic mixed-use buildings in downtown Austin, Texas.
Acquisitions and Dispositions
- Represented the nation’s largest mobile contract grinding and recycling service in the acquisition of a Fort Worth-based provider of mobile contract grinding, delivery, and green waste recycling services.
- Represented a real estate investment company in disposition of portfolio of first-class office buildings in suburban Austin, Texas.
- Represented purchaser in acquisition (and related financing) of prominent first-class office building in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.
- Represented purchaser in acquisition of office building in San Antonio, Texas and the related assumption of securitized mortgage loan.
Investments
- Represented real estate fund sponsor in formation of joint ventures with operational partners and related acquisition, redevelopment and disposition of multifamily, retail and office assets.
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), 2022
- Real Estate Law, 2022
- Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers – Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters, 2011, 2016-2021
- “Austin’s Top Attorneys” List – Real Estate, Austin Monthly, 2021
- The Thinkery (Austin Children’s Museum), Board of Directors
- President-Elect 2022-2023, President 2023-2024
- UT Law’s William W. Gibson, Jr. Mortgage Lending and Servicing Institute, Presiding Officer, 2021
- State Bar of Texas
- Austin Bar Association – Real Estate Section
- The Real Estate Council of Austin, Leadership Development Council, 2015