REAL ESTATE AND COMMERCIAL FINANCE TRANSACTIONS

Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. has extensive experience in real estate development and commercial finance transactions of all descriptions and has been providing legal services to developers, public bodies, lenders and borrowers since the early days of the Firm.

The real estate practice includes representation of developers and lenders in some of the most substantial and sophisticated projects in Mississippi, including general representation of several of Mississippi's largest real estate developers in their business operations throughout the region. Projects include development of shopping centers, apartments, traditional neighborhood development, downtown redevelopment, industrial centers, residential and commercial condominiums, office buildings and hotels. The Firm provides tax analysis and planning for real estate projects, including syndication through limited partnerships and other entities and the issuance of securities for investors and developers. The Firm has led the State of Mississippi in the area of tax increment financing (TIF) for commercial development and has closed several large TIF bond projects.

The Firm's commercial finance practice is equipped to meet the needs of clients in all types of residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial credit transactions, including construction financing, working capital financing, equity participation, synthetic leases, public/private ventures, bankruptcy matters, residential closings, foreclosures and loan restructuring and workouts. The Firm has been involved in credit transactions for clients in industries such as agriculture, railroad, gaming, hotel, manufacturing, retailing and telecommunications.

In recent years, the practice group has assisted clients of the Firm in completing the following projects:

• Acquisition, redevelopment and leasing of downtown office tower in Jackson, Mississippi, and planning for mixed retail, professional and residential use.

• Development, leasing and financing of auto manufacturing facility in Madison County, Mississippi, including structuring public/private financing.

• Leveraged lease financing of a state-of-the-art newsprint mill in Grenada County, Mississippi.

• Revolving credit and term credit facility for low-income housing projects.

• Owner, equity participant, lender and investment banker representation in construction and financing of gaming facilities.

• Development, financing and leasing of industrial facilities, hospitals, shopping centers, office buildings and office/warehouse developments.

• Conversion of existing hotel and restaurant facilities to commercial condominium.

• Planning, acquisition and construction of Traditional Neighborhood Development ("TND") employing the concept of new urbanism.

• Representation of public bodies in areas of downtown redevelopment and neighborhood reclamation.

Attorneys

David T. Ash
Jason Wilton Bailey
Mark T. Davis
William E. Dossett
Gina M. Jacobs
Aileen S. McNeill
Erich Nichols
Stephen W. Rimmer
Katharine M. Samson
Gary P. Snyder
Ann Corso Taylor
Jim B. Tohill
J. William Williams
James E. Woods