Chris works tirelessly to help his real estate and corporate clients realize opportunities and protect their rights in all transactions.
Overview
Chris assists purchasers, sellers, lenders, landlords and tenants in developing strategies and negotiating complex agreements related to sales transactions, leasing, public incentives, and corporate mergers and acquisitions. He has represented clients, both nationally and regionally, including real estate investment trusts (REIT) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) borrowers, in the acquisition or sale of more than $1 billion of commercial real estate and the leasing of more than 500,000 square feet of commercial office space.
Keenly aware of the challenges in negotiating leases on behalf of both landlords and tenants, Chris strategically advocates for favorable lease provisions to put clients in the best position possible, while mitigating the dreaded "we have a problem" phone call.
Additionally, he understands the importance of finding the right capital stack for any project—adding value through obtaining tax abatements and redirections, including tax increment financing (TIF), Port KC, Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA), Chapter 353, and Chapter 100; the use of special taxing districts, such as the transportation development district (TDD) and community improvement district (CID); the utilization of tax-advantaged structures such as 1031 exchanges and Opportunity Zone funds and benefits; and other HPIP and PEAK incentives in Kansas and the Missouri Works program in Missouri.
Experience
Public Finance
Lead counsel in obtaining tax abatement from Port KC for renovation of historic Scarritt Tower and Scarritt Arcade buildings in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
Represented a NASDAQ-listed client in obtaining a nine-figure incentive package for a $400 million project to construct an 880,000-square-foot omni-channel distribution center in Kansas City, Kansas, which includes the creation of nearly 2,000 jobs.
Representing several Missouri Community Improvement Districts and Transportation Development Districts with combined annual revenues of roughly $1.5 million.
Cannabis
General counsel representing Elevate Cannabis, a multi-location, vertically integrated cannabis business operator, in corporate and regulatory matters, including license acquisition.
Represented Elevate Cannabis in a strategic transaction that led to a favorable outcome, including a $30 million senior secured credit facility.
Represented Elevate Cannabis in a series of projects throughout Missouri involving rapid expansion and acquisitions, including assisting in acquiring cultivation and manufacturing licenses, cultivation and manufacturing facilities, and 17 adult-use licenses and dispensaries.
Lead counsel representing a Missouri cannabis company in the acquisition of a vertically-integrated cannabis company, holding dispensary, cultivation, and MIP licenses.
Commercial
Lead counsel representing a buyer in the $125 million acquisition of mixed use properties for redevelopment in North Kansas City, Missouri.
Lead counsel representing a REIT borrower in the refinance of a multi-tenant office building with a $30 million CMBS loan.
Lead counsel representing Troy Kearns in the acquisition of downtown Kansas City, Missouri Pecks Plaza historic building.
Lead counsel representing a buyer in the $20 million acquisition of a multi-tenant office building in Kansas City, Missouri.
Lead counsel representing a tenant in the negotiation of an office lease for the relocation of its headquarters to a new 40,000-square-foot premises in Kansas City, Missouri.
Represented a REIT in the $50 million acquisition of a 175,000-square-foot multi-tenant office building in Frisco, Texas.
Represents a national real estate marketplace and provider of property services in drafting state and local compliant residential lease forms for Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
Represents a landlord in the negotiation of a lease for a $13 million renovation of a 150,000-square-foot senior living facility in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Local Kansas and Missouri counsel, including providing local counsel opinions, for lending transactions totaling in excess of $1 billion of combined loan amounts.
Local counsel to Philadelphia-based real estate developer Parkway Corporation in the acquisition of a strategically-located multi-space parking facility in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
Multi-Family
Lead counsel representing Cordish Companies in obtaining a $109 million HUD construction loan for a 288-unit multifamily luxury apartment complex.
Lead counsel representing Maxus Properties in the disposition of up to $2 billion of multifamily portfolio in Midwest and Southeast United States.
Lead counsel representing Maxus Properties in the acquisition of the Isaac, a 266-unit luxury apartment complex in Frisco, Texas.
Represented a REIT in the $40 million acquisition of a multifamily apartment complex in Little Rock, Arkansas, by utilizing Opportunity Zone benefits.
Corporate
Lead counsel for a merger and corporate restructuring of a discount retailer in the Kansas City Metro Area.
Lead counsel to a purchaser in a $20 million acquisition of a reverse logistics company and a transportation company operating in the Midwest.
Counsel for a purchaser in its $20 million acquisition of assets from a 200-year-old American manufacturing company in a Chapter 353 sale.
News & Insights
News
Publications
Quoted, "More than 130 Westside households tap KC incentive program to counter rapid tax increases," Kansas City Business Journal, February 2023
Quoted, "Westside neighbors drive 'creative' use of KC incentive program as answer to skyrocketing property taxes," Kansas City Business Journal, October 2022
"Equity Income Partners LP v. Chicago Title Insurance Co. and Recovery Under a Lender's Title Insurance Policy in a Falling Real Estate Market," 48 Real Property Trust & Estate Law Journal 391, Fall 2013
Recognitions
Recognitions
Named an "Up & Coming Attorney" by Missouri Lawyers Media, 2024
Named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America list, 2025
Recognized by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Real Estate, 2024
Named to the 2023 Best Lawyers in America© "Ones to Watch" list
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
- Real Estate Policy Committee, 2018-Present
- Centurions (Leadership Development Program), 2022-2024
- genKC (Young Professionals Organization)
- Board of Directors, 2015-2018
- Membership Committee Chair, 2016-2017
Legal Aid of Western Missouri
- Board Trustees, 2024-Present
Downtown Council Political Action Committee
- Executive Committee, 2024-Present
Leawood Planning Commission
- Planning Commissioner, 2024-Present
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Lower Plains Region
- 2018 Man of the Year, over $180,000 raised
- Man & Woman of the Year Campaign Co-Chair, 2020-2021
- Man & Woman of the Year Leadership Committee, 2018-2023
Boy Scouts of America, Heart of America Council
- Eagle Scout, 2003
- Council Board Development Program, 2024-Present
- Council Properties Committee, 2019-Present
- Chairman, Camp Staff Alumni Association, 2015-2019
American Bar Association
- Member, 2014-Present
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
- Member, 2014-Present
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Kansas, 2015
- Missouri, 2014
Education
University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., with highest honors, 2014
- Order of the Coif
- Oklahoma Law Review, Assistant Managing Editor
University of Oklahoma, B.S., Computer Science, 2011
