Biography
William Dillard is an attorney in Jackson Walker’s Austin office who maintains a diversified business-transactions practice with an emphasis on real estate and finance, focusing particularly in the areas of buying, selling, financing, developing and leasing commercial real estate. He has extensive experience in the acquisition and development of shopping centers, multi-family projects, medical campuses, industrial facilities and mixed-use projects among others. A large part of his real estate practice also involves representing landlords and tenants in commercial leases of all kinds, including long-term ground leases, build-to-suit, retail, office, medical, and industrial leases.
In his finance practice, William has successfully negotiated and closed a wide range of loans from both the borrower and lender sides, including construction loans, CMBS loans, venture financing, mezzanine loans, Export-Import Bank and SBA loans, as well as loan workouts. William also assists clients with business acquisitions, construction contracts, development agreements, easements and restrictive covenants, oil and gas drill site agreements, power purchase agreements, and energy and other utility infrastructure matters.
William has represented clients ranging from private equity funds to individual investors, international retailers and national restaurant chains, healthcare and hospitality clients, industrial manufacturers, national and regional banks, public entities such as municipalities, regional mobility authorities, TIRZes and electric cooperatives, early-stage tech and life sciences companies, and owners and operators of Montessori schools and early childhood education centers, among others.
Education
B.B.A., Howard Payne University
J.D., cum laude, University of Houston Law Center
- Order of the Barons
- International and Comparative Law Institute, University of Barcelona
Bar Admissions
Texas, 2001
Real Estate Sales, Acquisitions, and Development
- Represented top U.S. retailer in the site acquisition and development of over one million sq. ft. of big box stores in shopping center projects across South and Central Texas
- Represented the developer of an 80-acre medical campus in Houston, Texas, including acquisition, construction, and permanent financing, establishing CCRs, lease-up of 150,000 sq. ft. medical office building, negotiation of a pipeline relocation and outparcel sales
- Represented luxury apartment developer in connection with two site acquisitions and construction loans totaling over $55MM in Houston, Texas
- Represented a publicly-traded manufacturing client in connection with its acquisitions of real estate and several operating businesses, and leasing activity including a sale-leaseback transaction and industrial build-to-suit ground lease
- Represented a national furniture retailer in its acquisition of a 118-acre tract and development of a 985,000 sq. ft. regional distribution warehouse and showroom facility
- Represented a Japanese investor in connection with the acquisition, resolution of ownership dispute, and subsequent sale of an apartment complex in Austin, Texas
- Led real estate and financing diligence efforts as underwriter’s counsel in the IPO of an owner and operator of 14 individually branded ski resorts
- Represented a private equity firm in assembling and acquiring 8,000 acres intended for residential development outside Bastrop, Texas
- Represented the seller in the sale of a 700-acre tract for residential development, including a reservation of minerals and negotiation of drill site agreements
- Represented the owner/operator of Montessori schools in connection with several acquisitions and sales of educational facilities
- Represented the buyer in the acquisition of two operating motorcycle dealerships
- Represented the seller in a $23MM sale of two adjacent office buildings in Houston, Texas
- Represented a national restaurant chain in several acquisitions (leasehold and fee) and development of restaurants on shopping center outparcels
- Represented an investor in connection with the acquisition of an emergency room clinic, the sale of a retail pharmacy store, and a $2MM loan to a luxury vacation rental company secured by real estate in Mexico
Real Estate Leasing
- Represented a landlord in the negotiation of a 99-year ground lease for redevelopment of a site in downtown Austin, Texas
- Represented a landlord in lease transactions covering a 450,000 sq. ft. industrial park
- Represented the tenant in the rehabilitation of a mixed use tower in the Houston Medical Center under a long-term ground lease, including bifurcating its lease into separate financeable leases for hotel, retail and parking uses, establishing reciprocal easements, negotiation of a construction loan and retail lease-up
- Represented a heart valve manufacturer in the negotiation and expansion of a 78,000 sq. ft. office and industrial lease in Austin, Texas
- Represented a pharmaceutical company in the negotiation of leases and subleases for 47,000 sq. ft. of office and lab space in Austin, Chicago and San Diego
- Represented the owner/operator of veterinary clinics in the negotiation of several shopping center leases for entry into the Austin, Texas market
- Represented a venture capital firm in a lease buyout transaction including successfully negotiating a 25% reduction in the landlord’s termination fee
- Represented an oil and gas industry client in the negotiation of a build-to-suit lease for a 17,000 sq. ft. facility on 7 acres in Louisiana
- Represented a startup company in the negotiation of a lease and sublease for a cannabis growing and processing operation in Pennsylvania
- Represented a medical supplies company in the lease of 37,000 sq. ft. of office space for its corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas
Finance
- Represented a wireless telecom company in the origination and several restructurings of senior and subordinate credit facilities totaling $47MM involving substantial non-U.S. collateral
- Negotiated a $50MM letter of credit facility and subsequent workout efforts for an international EPC company
- Served as Lender’s counsel in the origination and several restructurings of a $35MM secured line of credit to a regional taxi company
- Represented a lender in the origination of an $11.5MM multi-family construction loan
- Represented CMBS lenders in the origination of securitized loans totaling over $260MM
- Represented a private equity firm in the negotiation of $37MM in fund-level and portfolio company loans
- Counsel to spinal implant manufacturer in the negotiation of senior and subordinated credit facilities totaling $38MM
- Represented a Chicago-based pharmaceutical company in a $45MM financing
- Borrower’s counsel to a life sciences company in connection with a $20MM note purchase offering and $2MM senior revolving credit facility
- Represented a heart valve manufacturer in connection with an $11MM credit facility including a $4.5MM Export-Import Bank revolver and multiple equipment financings
- Served as local counsel to a UK borrower with respect to Texas security documents and legal opinion in a £20MM financing and subsequent renewal
- Represented a software company in connection with $5MM in senior and subordinate financings and multiple restructurings
Energy, Utility and Natural Resources
- Negotiated the acquisition of co-occupancy rights in a 30-mile pipeline easement corridor in connection with the development of a $2B power plant in Georgia
- Represented a Central Texas municipality in plant site and easement corridor acquisition for the development of a water treatment plant
- Represented a Central Texas municipality in designing a supply agreement form for use in its chilled water supply utility business
- Represented an electric cooperative in the negotiation of a partial requirements power purchase agreement, a peaking block purchase agreement and a combined cycle block purchase agreement
- Represented a consortium of electric cooperatives in the negotiation and documentation of 300 MW of purchases from a combustion turbine plant under multiple tolling agreements
- Handled water rights diligence for an infrastructure investment firm in connection with its acquisition of several private water utilities
- Represented a multinational chemicals company in drafting a ground lease for the situs of a cogen generator to serve its plant near Galveston, Texas
- Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow, 2014
- Champion of Justice Award, Champion of Justice Society
- Austin Bar Association, Real Estate Section
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Real Estate Council of Austin, Member