Skip to content
Jackson Walker
  • People

        • View All People
  • Experience
        • Bankruptcy, Restructuring, & Recovery
        • Business Immigration & Compliance
        • Corporate & Securities
        • Cybersecurity, Data Protection, & Privacy
        • Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (ERISA)
        • Energy
        • Environment & Natural Resources
        • Finance & Banking
        • Government Relations & Public Policy
        • Healthcare
        • Insurance
        • Intellectual Property
        • International
        • Investigations & White Collar Defense
        • Labor & Employment
        • Land Use
        • Real Estate
        • Tax
        • Trial & Appellate Litigation
        • Wealth Planning
  • News
        • All News
        • Fast Takes Podcasts
        • Subscribe to JW News & Insights
        • Insights
        • COVID-19 Insights & Resources
  • Offices
        • Austin
        • Dallas
        • Fort Worth
        • Houston
        • San Angelo
        • San Antonio
        • Texarkana
  • Meet JW
    • How We Work
      • Globalaw
      • Project Management
      • Value Management
    • What We Value
      • Community
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Jackson Walker Women
      • Pro Bono
    • Who We Are
      • Meet JW Videos
      • Fast Takes Podcasts
      • Recognition
      • JW Alumni
  • JW Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Search



Contact | Careers | COVID-19
Jackson Walker
Michelle Moore Smith

Michelle Moore Smith

Partner, Austin
512.236.2017
mmsmith@jw.com
Email LinkedIn vCard Print
Practice Experience Recognition & Accolades Community Involvement Client Results

Practice Areas

  • Real Estate

Experience

  • Acquisition & Disposition | Real Estate
  • Healthcare Finance
  • Investment, Leasing, & Management
  • Multifamily & Residential | Real Estate
  • Office | Real Estate
  • Restaurant | Real Estate
  • Retail & Mixed Use | Real Estate

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

Practice Experience Recognition & Accolades Community Involvement Client Results

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
Jackson Walker Client Austin Wood Recycling Acquires Thelin Recycling

June 29, 2020

Practice Experience

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.

Recognition & Accolades

  • 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

Community Involvement

  • 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

Practice Areas

  • Real Estate

Experience

  • Acquisition & Disposition | Real Estate
  • Healthcare Finance
  • Investment, Leasing, & Management
  • Multifamily & Residential | Real Estate
  • Office | Real Estate
  • Restaurant | Real Estate
  • Retail & Mixed Use | Real Estate

News

  • JW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – October 2021
  • ‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 178 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2022 Edition, Including 8 “Lawyers of the Year” and 31 “Ones to Watch”
  • ‘Austin Monthly’ Lists 20 Jackson Walker Attorneys Among “Austin’s Top Attorneys” of 2021
  • Jackson Walker Congratulates Its 2021 Texas Rising Stars
  • JW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – February 2021
More News
© 2022 Jackson Walker LLP
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies & Tracking Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Attorney Advertising
  • SCAC
  • JW Login
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Instagram
  • Who We Are
  • What We Value
  • How We Work
Subscribe to JW News & Insights
This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. View Cookie Policy Allow Cookies
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT