Michael F. Tomlinson

Mike focuses his practice on representing real estate funds, including REITs, international and domestic pension funds, international sovereign wealth funds, state retirement systems, and privately held real estate investment managers in acquisition, disposition, joint venture, and financing transactions involving office, industrial, retail, multifamily, infrastructure, and renewable projects. He represents various retail, office, multifamily, and industrial developers and has particular experience in retail, office, and industrial leasing.

• Advised a domestic real estate fund in the acquisition and financing of a 95% interest in a joint venture acquiring a NASCAR stadium to be redeveloped into 6.6 million-square-feet of logistics facilities.
• Represented an international shipping company in the development of a terminal in a major U.S. port.
• Represented an infrastructure fund with respect to the acquisition of telecom, infrastructure, solar, wind, utility, and data center assets throughout the U.S.
• Represented a domestic real estate fund in the acquisition of an 80% ownership interest and financing of a portfolio of seven logistics properties located across the U.S., valued at more than $700 million. Our team handled the joint venture, acquisition, and financing.
• Advised a domestic real estate fund in a more than $1 billion acquisition of a portfolio of logistics facilities and the lease back to the seller/developer/operator.
• Represented a Korean pension fund in its $610 million REIT interests acquisition, joint venture, and financing of an office complex in Santa Clara, CA.
• Advised a German pension fund in its acquisition, joint venture, and financing of a $285 million mixed-use project in Miami Beach, FL.
• Represented an open-end core fund in its acquisition of a controlling interest in a $280 million office building in the inner harbor in Baltimore, MD.
• Represented a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund in the sale of a $240 million office building in Dallas, TX.
• Represented a publicly traded REIT in connection with a 700,000-square-foot office lease to a publicly traded defense contractor for property located near Washington, D.C.
• Represented a shopping center developer in the development of various shopping centers across the southern U.S. totaling more than six-million-square-feet.
• Drafted and negotiated documentation for developers and asset managers in connection with the management of commercial real estate, including listing, property management, and leasing agreements; declarations and restrictive covenants; and documents concerning the coordination of construction and tenant improvement projects.

• Chambers USA: Real Estate, North Carolina (2022-2025)
• Best Lawyers in America®: Real Estate Law (2013-2026)
• Legal 500 United States: Real Estate: Real Estate (2016, 2024)
• Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer (2026) – independently rated lawyers