Lynne has over 30 years’ experience representing clients in a wide variety of commercial real estate matters. She is board certified by the Florida Bar as a specialist in real estate. She is rated AV® Preeminent™, the highest rating in Martindale-Hubbell’s peer and client review rating system; she has been listed in Best Lawyers in America®.
Lynne’s practice is focused on transactional work and problem solving. She works with all asset classes, including land, shopping centers, apartments, office, industrial, condominiums, hotels, churches, and residential developments. Her deep experience includes complex commercial sales and acquisitions, due diligence, leasing, financing, development, and entitlements. She has significant experience in land use, zoning, and entitlements and has represented clients in negotiation of Chapter 163 agreements, zoning hearings, and land use litigation.
Representative Matters
- Negotiation of an $86 million contract for sale by REIT of 80 multistate convenience store/gas station sites; assisted in due diligence and closing of ancillary transactions.
- Served as general counsel for 15 years for developer of 2,000-acre industrial, office and mixed-use project. Negotiated and closed sales of office and industrial properties; handled leases; provided counsel on development, platting, land use, and utility issues; addressed property owner association, brokerage, and infrastructure construction issues.
- Handled leasing for owners of tourist-oriented restaurant and retail shopping center in International Drive area and for downtown Orlando retail project.
- Strategized and solved diverse and complex access, title, and survey defects affecting over 30 sites during sale by private utility company of its Florida assets.
- Represented developer in planning, development, marketing, and transactional work for 350-acre mixed-use development in Orange County, Florida, including all aspects of development and sales of real estate.
- Served as local counsel for international aggregate distribution company. Performed comprehensive real estate due diligence and lease review for 36 leasehold or fee simple interests in aggregate distribution terminals.
- Negotiated and drafted lease for light manufacturing and office space for international manufacturing company expanding into Orlando, Florida. Assisted with governmental and association approvals and negotiation of documents for substantial tenant improvements.
- Represented Polk County landowner in land use matters, including negotiation of Chapter 163 agreement and amendments; DRI matters, including analysis of abandonment; negotiation of donations to local government; and negotiations involving purchase and sale of water and sewer capacity and entitlements. Negotiated complex phased-purchase agreements.
- Represented lender in negotiation and closing sale of 14 leased or owned restaurant properties, including purchase money financing documents.
- Represented developer in negotiation, due diligence, and transactional matters associated with acquisition of all remaining development parcels, entitlements, and development rights in existing residential and mixed-use DRI project, including obtaining master association control.
- Represented international timeshare company in acquisition and development of land for phased project, including side agreements for construction of roadway and drainage improvements, sales center leases, drainage and roadway easements, and options for purchase of other parcels.
- Negotiated with local government entity the terms of sophisticated long-term ground lease for golf course development, design, and construction, including design of rapid infiltration storm water basins.
Community Involvement
Lynne is a founding member of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Orlando Chapter; she served as president at the time of its affiliation with CREW Network. She serves on CREW’s Past Presidents’ Council and Membership Committee and has worked on numerous other committees and projects during her 25 years of membership. Lynne served on the Board of Directors of the Orlando Chapter of NAIOP. She was a member of the Board of Trustees and chair of the Community Advisory Board and the Audit Committees of WMFE/90.7. She has served on the Land Acquisitions Committee of Habitat for Humanity and was recognized for her legal work on behalf of veterans by Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida. Lynne is a member of Leadership Orlando, Class of 1995.
Education & Professional Background
Prior to joining the firm, Lynne was a partner at a national law firm and was of counsel in the real estate department of another national firm. She graduated cum laude from Mercer University School of Law, which she attended on full scholarship. She served on law review, was a member of the Brainerd Currie Honor Society, and was research assistant for Professor Larry Ribstein, who wrote the textbook Business Associations (Matthew Bender). She graduated magna cum laude from Wesleyan College with a degree in English literature. Lynne is a member of the Florida Bar and the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law, and Environmental and Land Use Law Sections.