David Fenley Email & Phone Number

Senior Executive and Partner with proven success in leading and providing legal representation on highly complex real estate transactions including purchase, development, leasing, sale/leaseback, and major construction and redevelopment projects. Diversified experience across a broad range of asset classes including real estate development, incentives & tax credits, construction & design, investment real estate, land use, retail/entertainment real estate, and public-private partnerships (p3). Leverages a valuable blend of legal expertise, business acumen, and financial/accounting background to provide comprehensive representation on complicated transactions. Deal maker with a genuine passion for all facets of sourcing, structuring, and negotiating agreements. Innate, intuitive ability to read people and situations very well and determine next steps ahead of others. Trusted advisor to real estate developers, lending institutions, investors, and local, state, and federal government agencies in defining, designing, financing, negotiating, and executing countless high-profile, multimillion-dollar private and public projects. ▪ Represented Highwoods Properties in $240 million Country Club Plaza redevelopment initiative; worked on 9 distinct projects including a 10-story office tower, retail & entertainment space, theater complex, and boutique hotel; completed all lease work with national retailers for re-tenanting of 90% of the Plaza.▪ Negotiated sale/leaseback agreements for a major energy REIT with midstream and downstream US energy infrastructure assets including pipelines, storage tanks, transmission lines, and gathering systems.▪ Counseled H&R Block in land acquisition, tax incentives, and financing for construction of their $150 million, 18-story world headquarters in downtown Kansas City. ▪ Served on the Executive Board of the firm for 20 years; 11 as Chairman.

Listed skills include Real Estate Development, Cpa, Strategic Planning, Real Estate Transaction Management, and 33 others.

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  Senior Partner

  Husch Blackwell

  Apr 1980 - Present

  ▪ Key member of the firm’s Real Estate, Development & Construction group; advisor to developers, lenders, investors, and government agencies in hundreds of real estate transactions.▪ Represented developers on high-profile private and public projects including construction of retail complexes, hotels, commercial/office buildings, condominiums, schools, industrial parks, and theaters.▪ Advisor in the $80 million redevelopment of the President Hotel in downtown Kansas City; assisted the developer in acquiring the site, securing city TIF funds, and documenting private institutional financing.▪ Represented Aquilla, Inc. in a deal leading to the rehabilitation of the New York Life Building; leveraged condemnation and redevelopment tools afforded through tax increment financing.▪ Counsel for J.E. Dunn Construction Co. in its $65 million headquarters redevelopment in downtown Kansas City.▪ Legal advisor to Marcus Hotels and Resorts in $40 million redevelopment of the historic Phillips House Hotel.▪ Advisor for the $100 million Plaza Colonnade development on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Mo.▪ Retained by the Kansas City Missouri School District to advise them on $600 million in capital improvement projects.▪ Skilled in combining multilayer funding packages including state/local tax-break programs, private sector financing, and negotiating sale/leaseback agreements. ▪ Worked with the Executive Board to define/develop strategic direction for the firm; worked closely with outside consultants on acquisition strategy, growing the firm from one to 16 U.S. markets, as well as offices in London. ▪ Performed all legal work for redevelopment of the Country Club Plaza, including development of Valencia Place, the largest project ever developed in the Plaza, as well as Seville Square Theater/Retail space.▪ Represented Payless Cashways and developers in the purchase and development of more than 80 locations nationwide, including construction agreements and zoning.