William J. Lewis
Shareholder
T: +1 (312) 609 7930
F: +1 (312) 609 5005
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Chicago
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E:
Chair, Real Estate and Land Use Group
Bill is a Shareholder and the Chair of the Real Estate and Land Use group. Bill’s keen insight into both legal and business issues, and the balance between them, is what has permitted him to gain the trust of numerous Fortune 500 companies, privately held businesses and individuals. His experience includes office, industrial and retail leasing; acquisition, disposition, and development of commercial and residential real estate; commercial real estate lending and borrowing; single-family and condominium development and conversion; zoning; and most other types of transactions concerning the ownership, development and financing of real estate. Bill is also a member of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Panel of Arbitrators for commercial and construction disputes. Finally, Bill was selected by his peers as a Leading Lawyer in Real Estate: Commercial Law and is a member of the Leading Lawyers Network for 2011-2012.
Leasing:
Bill represents both landlords and tenants on a nationwide basis, and he has been involved in landlord representation for several downtown Chicago and suburban office, industrial, and retail buildings, as well as similar buildings located throughout the United States. On the tenant representation side, he has represented tenants in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia on deals ranging from 5,000 RSF to 275,000 RSF, totaling in excess of 5,000,000 RSF. Bill also assisted a national banking association with its retail leasing and acquisition needs for its expansion in Illinois, having completed over 50 transactions in one year. In addition, Bill represents several well-known local restaurants with their leasing and expansion needs. Finally, Bill has represented tenants on industrial leases of up to 850,000 RSF, and has managed the real estate component of numerous stock and asset sales with purchase prices as large as $350 million.
Acquisition/Disposition:
Bill has been responsible for acquiring and disposing of more than $600 million in commercial properties, some of which contained significant environmental issues, including the recent disposal of numerous industrial buildings owned by a Fortune 500 corporation, and the recent purchase of a superfund site.
Zoning:
Bill has represented Fortune 500 corporations on critical zoning issues, including issues at a local corporation in relation to its worldwide headquarters. Bill was successful in achieving the zoning variances necessary to the client’s image for its campus and in the village where its headquarters reside.
Financing:
Bill has assisted local and national lenders in providing financing for real estate and corporate acquisitions, developments, and refinancing. He has also represented a significant number of corporate and individual high-net-worth borrowers at various levels of net worth.
Development:
Bill has significant experience in all aspects of property development, including: the acquisition of property; the drafting of covenants, conditions and restrictions; the establishment of easements and rights-of-way; and the establishment of property owners’ associations.
Pro Bono:
Bill assisted Habitat for Humanity with the conversion and sale of apartment buildings to condominiums, Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly (H.O.M.E.) with lease issues, and United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Chicagoland with leasing issues at its headquarters.
Representative Clients:
ACCO Brands Corporation; Alyeska Investment Group, L.P.; ATMI; Bank of America, N.A.; Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.; Bell Fuels, Inc.; BMO Harris Bank, N.A.; CareerBuilder, LLC; Chicago Trading Company; CIT; Day 1 Studios; Floyd’s Barbershop; Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc.; Hagerman & Company, Inc.; Hilco Real Estate; Homecrest Cabinets; JDS Properties; JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.; Kayhan International, Inc.; LFC Capital, Inc.; MacDermid Incorporated; MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc.; Master Lock Company, LLC; Moen Incorporated; PrivateBancorp, Inc.; Resurrection Health Care Corp.; Rosebud Restaurants; Stitch-It, USA; Simonton Building Products, Inc.; Therma-Tru, Corp.; U.S. Bank; The Valspar Corporation; and Vanguard Logistics.
Noteworthy Items:
- Member of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Panel of Arbitrators for commercial and construction disputes.
- Moderator: The New Normal of Deal Structuring—presented to the Industrial Asset Management Council, 2011.
- Panelist: Ensuring That Your Landlord Can Comply with Lease Terms—presented to the Industrial Asset Management Council, 2010.
- Lead Panelist: Ten Leasing Issues You Can’t Afford Not to Know: Issues that Can Directly Affect Your Bottom Line—presented to the Industrial Asset Management Council, 2009.
- Tenant’s Attorney/Crain’s List of Largest Chicago and Chicago-area Leases: 2008 (CareerBuilder, LLC, and PrivateBancorp, Inc.); 2005 (Jim Beam Brands Co.); and 2001 (MarchFirst Inc.).
- Panelist: 2008 Law Bulletin Real Estate Law Conference—Office Leases.
- Lead Panelist: The Anatomy of a Headquarters Lease—presented to the Association of Corporate Counsel, 2007.
- Former Adjunct Professor at John Marshall School of Law—Real Estate Drafting.
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Negotiated ground lease of Navy Pier, Illinois' largest tourist attraction (Tenant's Attorney).
Negotiated $31,000,000 purchase of office building in Naperville, Illinois (Purchaser's Attorney).
Negotiated 325 acre/2,100,000 RSF industrial building purchase which constitutes a superfund site in Georgia, and partial leaseback to Seller (Purchaser's/Landlord's Attorney).
Represented international technology/placement firm for 150,000 RSF headquarters lease (Tenant’s Attorney).
Represented international liquor manufacturer in its headquarters lease for office space (130,500 square feet) in Deerfield, Illinois (Tenant's Attorney).
Represented Chicago-based bank for 100,000+ RSF headquarters in downtown Chicago (Tenant’s Attorney).
Negotiated 275,000 RSF lease of build-to-suit office building in San Francisco, California (Tenant’s Attorney).
Negotiated 850,000 RSF industrial lease for manufacturer (Tenant’s Attorney).
Represented financial institution with its subleases of 130,000 RSF of its former corporate headquarters to multiple subtenants in Manhattan, New York (Sublandlord's Attorney).
Negotiated 650,000 RSF industrial sale for light manufacturer (Seller’s Attorney).
Negotiated approximately 75 leases worldwide (North America, Australia, Europe, Asia) for technology company having an average size of 50,000 RSF (Tenant’s Attorney).
Negotiated 50+ retail leases for national banking association (Tenant’s Attorney).
Drafted and negotiated office leases of varying sizes for landlord nationally in excess of 500,000 RSF (Landlord’s Attorney).
Negotiated 35,000 RSF world headquarters lease for Fortune 500 corporation (Tenant’s Attorney).
Negotiated 48,000 RSF world headquarters lease for Fortune 500 subsidiary (Tenant’s Attorney).
Responsible for real estate due diligence component of spin-off and merger of Fortune 500 subsidiary (Seller’s Attorney).
Sold multiple office/warehouse and office/industrial properties for Fortune 500 subsidiary (Seller’s Attorney).
Responsible for the purchase and sale of various office, industrial, retail, and unimproved properties (represented both Sellers and Purchasers).
Acquired 18 properties for emissions testing company in Illinois, including dealing with multiple environmental issues (Purchaser’s Attorney).
Successfully represented several Fortune 500 corporations with specific zoning needs in the greater Chicagoland area (represented Petitioners).
- Assisted developers with conversion of apartments to condominiums, including two condominiums for Habitat for Humanity (represented Developers).
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- J.D., Gonzaga University School of Law, 1995
- B.S., Marquette University, 1991
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