People

Overview

Chris Wilson represents owners, developers and investors in a wide array of complex commercial real estate transactions throughout the United States. Mr. Wilson's practice includes representing owners and developers in connection with acquisition and disposition of unimproved land, as well as office, hotel, multifamily and industrial projects; representing landlords and tenants in office, industrial and retail leasing; representing borrowers and lenders in connection with mortgage and mezzanine financing; and representing owners and developers in connection with nearly all other aspects of commercial real estate development, including construction contracts, architect and engineering agreements, management agreements, reciprocal easements and joint use agreements, and development agreements. Mr. Wilson also has experience representing sponsors of private equity real estate investment funds, both in the establishment of the fund, the conduct of investment activities and the negotiation of credit facilities secured by the equity commitments of investors.

In the energy arena, Mr. Wilson's practice involves negotiation of real property rights to support large integrated plant sites, including ground leases, site sharing arrangements, pipelines and other easements. Mr. Wilson's experience extends to the development of carbon sequestration projects, geothermal energy plants, wind farms, chemical projects and other large-scale industrial projects. Mr. Wilson also represents and counsels energy companies in complex commercial transactions, including the formation of strategic ventures, technology development agreements and supply agreements.

Following graduation from law school, Mr. Wilson served as a law clerk to the Honorable Patrick E. Higginbotham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Admissions & Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas
  • J.D., University of Virginia School of Law 2003
    Order of the Coif
    Executive Editor, Virginia Law Review
  • B.A., Government & Political Science, Harvard University 1994
    cum laude

Experience

Commercial Real Estate

  • Representation of sponsor/developer in connection with multifamily projects in Texas, Massachusetts and Colorado - included the formation of joint ventures with institutional investors; acquisition of the property; negotiation of construction contracts and development agreements; and construction and permanent financing
  • Representation of health care company (i) in connection with build-to-suit lease for nursing care facility and (ii) in connection with various dispositions of health care properties
  • Representation of real estate developer in connection with purchase and sale of numerous commercial office properties in Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C.
  • Representation of landlords and tenants in numerous leasing transactions involving office, industrial and retail space, including representation of landlord in connection with 168,000 square foot major tenant office lease in downtown Houston and representation of landlord in connection with negotiation of the early surrender of 120,000 square feet of office space in downtown Houston
  • Representation of sponsor in the formation of real estate investment funds targeting development projects in the United States, Brazil, India and Russia, and negotiation of revolving credit facilities secured by capital commitments of equity investors
  • Representation of hotel developer in the negotiation of public-private agreements and in construction financing for the development of a convention hotel in Houston, Texas
  • Negotiation of construction contracts and architects agreements on behalf of non-profit entity in connection with the development of Houston-area museum

Energy

  • Representation of petrochemical plant owner in connection with ground leases within the plant perimeter
  • Representation of foreign energy company in the lease of land for a coal to liquids project from a Native American tribe in Montana
  • Representation of major oil company in connection with the development, engineering and licensing of gas to fuels technology and commercial implementation
  • Representation of storage company in connection with leases and easements of rights to support development of carbon sequestration project
  • Representation of lender in connection with the development and financing of a public-private pipeline projects


25 October 2023 Speeches & Presentations Q3 2023 Healthcare and Pharma Update
25 October 2023 Speeches & Presentations Q3 2023 Healthcare and Pharma Update

Awards and Community

Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer-Rising Star (Thomson Reuters), 2010