Meet Shams Merchant | Commercial Real Estate and Private Equity Attorney

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shams Merchant and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shams, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think the most important factor behind my success is dedicating myself to truly understanding each of my clients’ unique circumstances, goals, and concerns. I always have an attentive demeanor with my clients, and I make sure they are comfortable and confident when working with me. By actively listening and proactively addressing queries and apprehensions, I’ve instilled a sense of reassurance with my client that they are always in good hands. I treat my clients’ triumphs like my own, and I consistently deliver an exceptional level of client-centered service, which has set me apart from my peers.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am an industry-leading commercial real estate attorney in Texas, and I advise clients on a wide range of commercial real estate and business transactions ranging in value from $1 to over $250 million, encompassing the acquisition, divestiture, financing (interim, construction, permanent, mezzanine, CMBS, and life insurance), leasing, and construction & development of both commercial and residential properties including raw land, retail, shopping center & mixed-use projects, multi-family, office, industrial and warehouse, hotel, data center, sports & recreation facilities, telecommunications, hospitality, food and beverage, build-to-suite, self-storage, student housing, condominiums, and adaptive reuse & conversion projects.

I also assist clients in their corporate structuring and establishing business entities (including LLCs, LPs, and corporations), joint-ventures, and private investment funds (including Rule 506(b) and 506(c) offerings) tailored to the needs of commercial real estate investment, development and ownership.

My practice is Texas-based but national in scope. I have represented the largest real estate companies in the world, including well-known owners, buyers, sellers, national, international and Texas-based investors and developers, deal sponsors, capital partners, private and public investment funds, regional and multi-national corporations, landlords, tenants and other real estate players.

Uniquely, II have a passion for experiential retail, mixed-use and adaptive reuse projects and have represented clients in the acquisition, disposition, development and leasing of numerous award-winning experiential retail, mixed-use and adaptive reuse projects in Texas—six (6) of which received the Development of Distinction Award by the Urban Land Institute and two (2) of which received the Landmark Award for Houston’s Top Real Estate Projects by the Houston Business Journal. I am frequently featured in the Houston Business Journal and Dallas Business Journal, BisNow, The Real Deal, Traded: Texas, and other regional and national real estate publications for my work and market insights.

I have been involved in more award-winning ULI projects than any other attorney under the age of 35 in Texas.

My clients know me as someone who has the ability to get deals done while looking out for their interest. I believe access to sophisticated and responsive counsel should not cost a premium. With that in mind, I provide a cost-effective and value-added service to my clients, whether they are new to the real estate or private equity business or a seasoned player. By ensuring my rates are cost-effective, I not only services institutional, large and sophisticated investors but also new investment funds and local real estate entrepreneurs. I also proactively provide my clients with new ways to track and quantify value on their legal spend, from using technology to improve service delivery to offering bespoke alternative fee arrangements. By working with my clients to reduce their legal spend and quantify the value on their legal spend, I have successfully helped my clients increase their ROI on real estate projects and the overall profitability of their businesses.

My clients appreciate my personal dedication to their matters, friendly personality and accessibility—no matter the day or time. My clients have included a 3-star Michelin chef, multiple real estate investment companies with billions of dollars of assets, one of the largest real estate developers in the world with over $16 billion in revenue, a leading private real estate investment firm in Houston with over 130 commercial properties, many emerging real estate players, solo and new real estate investors & entrepreneurs, national restaurant groups and QSR brands, and celebrities.

In addition to my commercial real estate transactional practice, I also have extensive experience representing landlords and tenants in complex commercial lease disputes, buy-outs and terminations. And I also handle complex disputes involving business and real estate matters, including disputes between partners and shareholders, claims for breach of real estate contracts, real estate fraud, disputes regarding restrictive covenants, and title and boundary disputes.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I attribute much of my early success to two of my mentors, Zak Rosenberg and Jonathan Saikin, who not only taught me how to be an excellent real estate attorney but also encouraged me to grow personally and professionally.

Zak Rosenberg played a pivotal role in shaping my career. Under Zak’s guidance, I learned the importance of attention to detail, effective negotiation skills, and the ability to navigate complex legal situations. Zak’s mentorship instilled in me a deep sense of professionalism when interacting with clients and a commitment to delivering excellent work product, which became the cornerstone of my success.

Whereas, Jonathan’s guidance went beyond legal expertise, as he encouraged me to explore new avenues and expand my horizons by giving me a lot of autonomy to run my own deals and pushing me to take on challenging matters, which enabled me to develop a broader skill set and gain confidence in my abilities. Jonathan’s unwavering support and belief in my capabilities as a commercial real estate attorney served as a catalyst for my continuous growth and success.

Website: www.cre.law

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shams-merchant/

Image Credits
Traded: Tex The Real Deal