The Atlanta Lawyer June/July 2012 | Page 32

section update Real Estate Section Update By Michael E. Leavey Dorough & Dorough, LLC E ven as summer approaches, the Real Estate Section is staying as busy as ever! On April 26, 2012, the Section held its Second Annual Roundtable Discussion, where about a dozen lawyers who work in various sectors of the real estate market in firms of varying sizes gathered to discuss the current state of the real estate market, client relations, office management, and other issues affecting their respective practice areas. The Section’s annual Roundtable Discussion provides a great forum for colleagues to candidly discuss issues arising in their substantive practice areas and in the practice of law in general. The Section’s April 12 breakfast meeting included a panel discussion about “Retail Development in Atlanta and Beyond: Rising from the Ashes of the Great Recession.” The panel featured Enrique R. “Quito” Anderson, Esq., Sutherland; Leslie G. Callahan III, CCIM, First Colony Financial Corporation; and Jan Saperstein, The Equinox Group, Inc., and was moderated by Andy Akin of Fidelity Bank. The informative and engaging presentation allowed attendees to hear about the current state of the retail real estate market in Atlanta from the varying perspectives of a practicing attorney, a retail lender, and a retail center developer. The panelists discussed recurring issues in the retail market in light of the change in the market in recent years, such as certain concessions that tenants are asking from their landlords, significant considerations for lenders when determining whether to finance retail projects, and lease provisions that have tended to change in substance or gain importance for either landlords or tenants. [email protected] of CRESA and Philip G. Skinner, Esq. of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP presented “The Atlanta Office Sector: A Challenging Market With Challenging Legal Issues.” The panel discussion was moderated by Michael Bull of Bull Realty, Inc. After giving an overview of the market, the panel participants discussed various aspects of lease negotiations and how a tenant may leverage its strengths in the current market to get agreement on favorable lease terms. This June sees a shift in the leadership of the Real Estate Section in preparation for the next bar year. The Section is always looking for members interested in becoming more involved with planning and coordinating the Section’s regular monthly meetings and social events, writing and submitting articles for the Section’s quarterly newsletter, and participating in the Section’s ongoing pro-bono project at the Fulton County State and Magistrate Court Self-Help Center. We encourage anyone interested in becoming more involved with the Section or its activities in the 2012-13 bar year to contact a board member or Tanya Windham at twindham@ atlantabar.org. *** The Real Estate Section’s 2012-13 Board includes Chair Charles Van Horn, Vice Chair Ricky B. Novak, Secretary Michael E. Leavey, Treasurer Carter L. Stout, Immediate Past Chair Jonathan L. Neville, Members at Large kimberly C. Gaddis, Rian Perry and Cory Blake Thompson. Section members also received an update on the current state of the local office market at the Section’s May 3 breakfast meeting, where panelists David Rubenstein 32 THE ATLANTA LAWYER June/Ju H