Thompson & Knight Expands Real Estate Practice Group with Two Partners

DALLAS, Jan. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thompson & Knight LLP has expanded its Real Estate and Banking Practice as well as its New York and Houston presence with the addition of two new Partners.

Michael H. Jo of New York and Doug Stewart of Houston are leading real estate practitioners and their wealth of experience and strong client relationships are a complement to the Firm's existing practice.

"Michael and Doug are well respected attorneys, and we are very pleased that they chose to bring their practices to Thompson & Knight," said Gregg C. Davis, Thompson & Knight's Real Estate and Banking Practice Leader. "The real estate markets in New York and Houston are active and growing, and Michael's expertise in commercial lending and securitization and Doug's experience with large-scale and complex transactions will be a tremendous asset for our clients across the nation."

"Expanding Thompson & Knight's Real Estate and Banking practice in both New York and Houston is an important part of our overall growth plan. Michael and Doug are welcomed additions to the practice, as we continue to expand and meet our client's growing needs," said Mark M. Sloan, the Firm's Managing Partner.

Mr. Jo's practice focuses on counseling finance companies, REITs, and banks in negotiating, structuring, and closing complex transactions. His more than 19 years of experience includes mortgage and mezzanine financing, preferred equity and equity investing, and counseling lenders, special servicers, and investors with respect to workouts and investment management.

Additionally, Mr. Jo has a deep understanding of the legal and business issues that arise at both the commercial real estate loan and securitization transaction levels, including the legal aspects of post-securitization matters that include interactions with servicers and trustees.

In prior roles, Mr. Jo served as the managing director for a large bond rating agency where he managed the legal group responsible for new issuance and surveillance of commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized loan obligations. He also has experience leading legal departments for the commercial real estate group of a large publicly-traded REIT. Mr. Jo received his J.D. from the New York University School of Law and his B.A., summa cum laude, from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Prior to joining Thompson & Knight, Mr. Jo practiced at the New York office of Carlton Fields.

Mr. Stewart has more than 40 years of experience representing lenders, banks, developers, builders, and corporations in matters involving real estate, lending, and project finance. In addition, he has experience assisting clients in achieving lines of credit, hotel financing, and syndicated credits, as well as negotiating land acquisition and development contracts, improved property sales and financing, and lender liability issues.

Mr. Stewart is a Fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys and the Texas College of Real Estate Attorneys and has been consistently recognized on the lists of The Best Lawyers in America^©, Texas Super Lawyers^®, and H Texas Houston's Top Lawyers. He has served as a Director of several Houston-area financial institutions and is a member of the Texas Association of Bank Counsel.

He earned his J.D., with honors, from The University of Texas School of Law, and his B.A., with highest honors, from The University of Texas. Prior to joining the Firm, he practiced at Winstead PC for ten years.

About Thompson & Knight
Established in 1887, Thompson & Knight is a full-service law firm with more than 300 attorneys. The Firm provides legal solutions to clients and communities around the world. Thompson & Knight has been named "Law Firm of the Year" in Natural Resources Law (2018) and in Oil & Gas Law (2011-2013, 2015, 2017) in U.S. News-Best Lawyers^® "Best Law Firms." For more information, visit www.tklaw.com.

For additional information:
Britney Henry
Marketing Manager
713-951-5805 I [email protected]

SOURCE Thompson & Knight LLP