Jackson Walker Expands Real Estate Practice With Addition of Four Key Partners from Thompson & Knight

DALLAS, TEXAS, April 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jackson Walker L.L.P. welcomes Alfie Meyerson, Thad Armstrong, David Jones, and David Robins as partners in the firm's Houston office. The four partners, who join the firm from Thompson & Knight LLP, add considerable depth and distinction to Jackson Walker's already robust Real Estate and Finance practice groups.

"The addition of this excellent group of lawyers, along with other high-profile lateral partners who have joined us recently, truly gives us the premier real estate practice group in the Southwest," said Jackson Walker managing partner Wade Cooper. "We anticipate great synergies from having a large, efficient, and cost-effective real estate team that is as good as any in this part of the world."

Houston managing partner Kurt Nondorf added, "We are thrilled and honored that this group has chosen to join Jackson Walker. Their practices align perfectly with our own and will add significantly to our deep bench here in Houston."

Mr. Meyerson has served in key leadership roles at Thompson & Knight, including as managing partner of the Houston office, chairman of the firm's Real Estate and Banking Practice Group and a member of the firm's management committee. Mr. Meyerson's legal practice spans more than 30 years and encompasses all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, and his clients have included some of the most significant players in the Houston real estate development and banking market.

In making the move to Jackson Walker, Mr. Meyerson said he was drawn to the firm's competitive platform and efficient business model. "This is a firm that is firmly rooted in Texas and meshes well with our practice," he said. "It's a great fit for me and my clients."

On a more personal note, Mr. Meyerson said he was looking forward to working with longtime friends and colleagues at Jackson Walker, including Mr. Nondorf, Real Estate practice group chair Steve Martens, and Dallas managing partner David Moran.

"These are friends I've known my entire adult life," Mr. Meyerson said. "Steve and I went to law school together. Kurt and I have known each other for over 25 years, and David and I were high school classmates. I like the quality of the practice, and I like the quality of the people."

Also joining Jackson Walker's Real Estate practice group is Thad Armstrong, who advises and represents buyers and sellers, developers, landlords and tenants, and sublandlords and subtenants in all facets of their real estate, development, construction, and leasing and subleasing deals and projects. He also advises lenders and borrowers in foreclosures and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure. Some of Mr. Armstrong's recent transactions include having represented owners and developers in major construction projects totaling over $1 billion.

Mr. Jones and Mr. Robins will practice in the Real Estate and Finance groups at Jackson Walker.

Mr. Jones represents banks and other lending institutions in all aspects of commercial lending, with an emphasis on real estate secured lending. His experience includes representing lenders in middle market, private banking, energy and syndicated transactions. He also represents both purchasers and sellers of loan portfolios (both performing and distressed assets). Mr. Jones has represented numerous borrowers in connection with commercial loans, including providing applicable legal opinions concerning the enforceability of loan documents and qualifications of borrowers and guarantors. Mr. Jones also represents both landlords and tenants in lease negotiations concerning retail, office, and industrial space. And he has represented both purchasers and sellers in negotiating and closing sales of commercial real estate.

Mr. Robins practices in commercial real estate and real estate finance, with an emphasis on the lender-borrower relationship. He has worked on hundreds of significant transactions including office buildings, shopping centers, industrial buildings and warehouses, land and residential development, apartments and condos. Mr. Robins regularly handles multi-state, multi-property transactions, as well as loan portfolio acquisitions and dispositions. In addition, he represents clients in oil and gas, timber, and water transactions and in PACE lending.

Over the past few years, Jackson Walker has expanded its skilled and dynamic Real Estate team to serve the needs of clients in an active Texas market. Recent additions to the practice group include Steve Jenkins, a 40-year commercial real estate veteran from Haynes and Boone, LLP; Andrew Baumgardner, also from Haynes and Boone; Brad Lowry from Haynie Rake Repass & Lowry; and Drew Darby, who founded his own successful practice in San Angelo and currently serves as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. The firm has also added partner Ashley Martzen, Senior Counsel Cassie Ross, and associates Amit Patel and Frank Morphis to its Real Estate team.

Firmwide, a large number of high-profile attorneys have made the move to Jackson Walker in the last year, many of whom served in key leadership roles at their previous firms.

"The fact that we continue to attract strong leaders from other law firms shows that there's something good going on here," said Mr. Cooper. "For Texas attorneys whose clients require an efficiently managed law firm with first-class resources, Jackson Walker is the place to be."

Jackson Walker L.L.P. has 125 years of experience in providing legal counsel to clients throughout Texas, the United States and internationally. The firm provides a strong regional base of more than 350 attorneys in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Angelo, San Antonio and Texarkana.