Details of Practice

Emalee assists purchasers, sellers, lenders, borrowers, landlords, developers and tenants in various real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing, development and leasing of office buildings, mixed-use projects, retail projects, industrial projects, apartments and unimproved land. Emalee’s practice also includes the preparation and negotiation of construction contracts for industrial facilities, office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, mixed-use projects and other large commercial projects.

Professional Experience

Emalee is a partner with the firm. Prior to joining the firm in 2015, she was an associate in the Real Property and Business Transactions Practice Groups at Holmes Firm PC in Dallas. In law school, Emalee served as an Associate Editor for the Baylor Law Review. She also worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable U. S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, United States District Court for the Western District of Texas in Waco. In law school, Emalee also served as an intern for the Texas Railroad Commission in Austin.

Education

J.D., Baylor University School of Law, 2013, Real Estate and Natural Resource Degree Concentration

B.A., Baylor University, summa cum laude, 2010

Bar Admissions

Texas

Community and Professional Activities

• Member, San Antonio Bar Association
• Member, Real Estate Council of San Antonio
• Real Estate Council of San Antonio, 2016-17 Leadership Development Class

Details of Practice

Ms. Fuller is a Partner with the firm. Prior to joining the firm, she practiced corporate and real estate law with Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated in its San Antonio office.

Professional Activity

Ms. Fuller has practiced real estate and corporate law in San Antonio since 1993. Her practice includes general representation of real estate and corporate clients, property and business sales and acquisitions, lease negotiations, loan document review, and corporate matters associated with the same. In her real estate practice, she assists real estate developers, sellers, purchasers, landlords, and tenants in sophisticated real estate transactions. In her corporate practice, she represents sellers, purchasers and targets in many commercial activities, including restaurant and retail industries. She also works closely with in-house counsel, accountants, title companies and engineers to provide her clients with comprehensive representation.

Education

J.D., The George Washington University National Law Center, 1991
B.S., Economics, Cum Laude, Vanderbilt University, 1988

Bar Admission

Texas, Illinois, Virginia, District of Columbia

Community and Professional Activities

• State Bar of Texas – Real Estate, Probate and Tax Sections
• San Antonio Bar Association

Honors

Ms. Fuller has been named a “Best Lawyer” in Corporate Law (Scene in SA Magazine).

Details of Practice

Melanie’s practice includes the representation of clients on a wide range of complex commercial real estate transactions including the acquisition, disposition, development, leasing, management and debt and equity financing of retail, industrial, multi-family and office projects. She routinely advises developers on the negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, retail space leases, ground leases and development related agreements (e.g., declarations, restrictive covenants, easements, development agreements, etc.). Melanie’s representation includes thoughtful counsel to her clients through all stages of a real estate project.

Professional Experience

Melanie is Counsel to the firm. She joined the firm in 2020 after relocating from Houston, Texas, where she served as an associate with Bracewell LLP in the firm’s energy projects group where she represented sponsors, lenders and project companies in connection with a wide range of transactions including mergers, acquisitions and general corporate matters, as well as transactions relating to the development of various types of projects, including a county courthouse (a public private partnership) and various wind, solar and other power generation facilities (due diligence review, debt and equity financing, acquisitions, dispositions, power purchase agreements and other long-term offtake agreements).

Melanie is born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. In law school, Melanie served as the Chief Notes and Comments Editor of the Houston Law Review. She also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable David Hittner of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas and as a legal intern for the Office of the General Counsel of the University of Houston.

Representative Transactions

• Representation of various real estate development companies in connection with the
  acquisition, development, leasing and financing of retail shopping centers across Texas
  (Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Texas and the broader metropolitan areas).
• Representation of multi-family developer in the purchase, development and financing of
  luxury multi-family projects in the Austin, Texas area metropolitan area.
• Representation of an institutional real estate development company, as borrower, in
  various construction and permanent financings, including loans of up to approximately
  $120M+ relating to industrial properties across the country, including in Georgia,
  Washington, California, New York and Texas.
• Representation of real estate developer in the acquisition and debt and equity financing
  for a $134M+ luxury multi-family residential development outside of Denver, Colorado.
• Representation of real estate development company developing multi-family, retail and
  office projects across the San Antonio and Austin, Texas metropolitan areas, including
  the debt and equity financing for an approximately $65M multi-family residential
  development.
• Advises a local government corporation tasked with the redevelopment of a high-profile
  parcel of public land on a broad range of issues including the application of state laws
  governing the sale and leasing of public property; the application of state laws governing the procurement of contracts; the application of the Open Meetings Act and the Open Records Act; and the negotiation of short-term and long-term leases of public land.

Education

J.D., University of Houston Law Center, summa cum laude, 2016
B.B.A., Information and Operations Management, Texas A&M University, magna cum laude, 2013

Publications

Melanie Crouch, Comment, The Public University’s Right to Prohibit Discrimination, 53 Hous. L. Rev. 1369 (2016).

 D. Garbien; M.C. Goebel, “Opposites Attract: How Oil and Gas and Renewables+Storage are the Perfect Match” OGEL 6 (2020),

Professional Activities

• State Bar of Texas
• Member, Urban Land Institute (ULI)
• Member, Real Estate Council of San Antonio (graduate of the 2022-2023 RECSA
• Leadership Development Program)

Details of Practice

Lane’s practice includes the representation of purchasers, sellers, borrowers, developers, investors and tenants in various commercial real estate transactions, including but not limited to retail, multi-family, mixed-use, industrial and office transactions. This includes providing counsel to clients for the acquisition, disposition, development, management and financing of such commercial real estate transactions and the negotiation of documents related thereto, including but not limited to purchase and sale contracts, declarations, site development agreements, incentive agreements, professional service agreements, loan documents, development management agreements, partnership agreements, joint venture agreements and limited liability company agreements and shopping center and industrial  leases.

A few of Lane’s representative matters include:

• Representation of a regional supermarket chain in the acquisition, development, leasing and sale of numerous grocery stores and grocery-anchored shopping centers throughout Texas.
• Representation of multifamily developer for the development and financing of approximately 4,000+ luxury multi-family residential apartments in the Denver, Colorado, Phoenix, Arizona, Orlando, Florida and Nashville, Tennessee market and surrounding areas.
• Representation of multifamily developers for the development and financing of over 10,000+ luxury multi-family residential apartment units in Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas, Texas market and surrounding areas.
• Representation of developer in the negotiation of joint venture agreement with national developer for the development of approximately 250,000 square foot municipal office complex with a structured parking garage.
• Representation of developer in the negotiation of development management agreement with an institutional equity investor for the development of a 160,000 square foot office building with a structured parking garage.
• Representation of regional mini-storage developer for the development and financing of multiple Class-A mini-storage facilities in the Central Texas market and the subsequent portfolio sale of such mini-storage facilities to a national mini-storage REIT.
• Representation of regional shopping center developers and institutional developers for the acquisition, development, leasing and financing of retail and mixed-use shopping centers ranging in size from 7,000 rentable square feet to 500,000+ rentable square feet.
• Representation of developer for multi-phase, mixed-use condominium project in New Braunfels, Texas.
• Representation of developer for mixed-use condominium project in Austin, Texas.
• Representation of regional and institutional developers for the negotiation of various incentive and development agreements with municipalities in the State of Texas.

Education

J.D., Tulane University School of Law, 2012
B.A., Tulane University, cum laude, 2008

Honors

Paul Morphy, Jr Memorial Award for outstanding performance in Commercial Real Estate Transactions

Bar Admission

Texas

Community and Professional Activities

• Real Estate Council of San Antonio
• Leadership Program for Real Estate Council of San Antonio
• San Antonio Bar Association

Professional Experience

Mr. Golden is a senior partner and co-founder of the firm and has been both a practicing lawyer and a real estate developer and businessman. Prior to the formation of the firm, he served as a partner and head of the real estate practice group in the San Antonio office of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP for more than 15 years. Prior to that, Mr. Golden served as executive vice president and general counsel to a privately-held real estate company that developed Stone Oak, a 5,000-acre planned community in San Antonio, owned and operated a water company, and acquired, developed and sold residential, office and retail projects throughout Texas. He also served as president of Santikos Investments, another San Antonio-based real estate company, where he was responsible for the acquisition, development, finance and sale of numerous retail and office projects. In addition, Mr. Golden has also served as president of Santikos Entertainment, a movie theater company involved in the acquisition and development of multi-screen theater projects in various parts of the United States. He began his legal career as a real estate lawyer with the firm of Matthews & Branscomb (later succeeded by Dykema) where he left as a partner in 1984.

Details of Practice

Mr. Golden primarily represents sophisticated private, public and institutional parties in the acquisition, development, leasing, financing, operation and sale of all types of commercial properties, including retail, industrial, office, multi-family, hotel and resort properties. He also regularly negotiates and drafts complex organizational agreements for limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations and joint ventures, as well as economic development agreements. He and the firm serve as primary outside real estate counsel to H E B Grocery Company, LP, the largest privately-owned supermarket company in the United States, for which he is regularly involved in the negotiation of lease, acquisition, partnership, development and reciprocal operating and easement agreements; and to the industrial logistics division of Affinius Capital (formerly USAA Real Estate Company) for which he and the firm are regularly involved in the negotiation of acquisition, partnership, lease, development and development management agreements.

Representative transactions include

• Represented H-E-B in the acquisition, development and/or lease of grocery stores and shopping centers throughout Texas and Mexico.
• Represented Affinius Capital in the acquisition, leasing, development, financing and sale of multiple new bulk logistics facilities totaling in excess of 55 million square feet and $4.5B throughout the U.S. and Mexico.
• Represented institutional real estate investor in the acquisition of multiple portfolios of single-tenant retail facilities totaling over 200 stores located throughout the United States.
• Represented Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation in acquisition, development and construction of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Antonio.
• Represented developer in acquisition, redevelopment and leasing of 27-acre historic Pearl Brewery into mixed-use facility, including residential, retail, office and hotel uses.
• Represented Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation in redevelopment of 75-acre former World’s Fair site.
• Represented San Antonio Economic Development Corporation in numerous economic development agreements with companies bringing new businesses to San Antonio.
• Represented national development company in development of 1000-room convention center hotel.
• Represented retail shopping center developer in the sale of 50% ownership interest in its properties to a New York-based investment fund and the formation of a retail development company to own and develop retail shopping centers throughout Texas.
• Represented Texas-based institutional real estate fund in development agreement with national retail developer to acquire, lease, develop and sell retail properties throughout the United States.
• Represented owner of 3,000-acre residential and golf course resort development in formation of partnership with real estate fund and development of resort hotel and conference center.
• Represented land development company in acquisition and development of 2,000-acre parcel, including construction of golf course and club and subsequent sale of the development to a national resort development company.
• Represented owner of 2,500 multi-family units in acquisition and development of properties and subsequent merger with national multi-family REIT.
• Represented consortium of financial institutions and investors in financing of resort hotel and PGA golf complex.
• Represented NYSE company in acquisition and redevelopment of former regional mall into corporate headquarters.
• Represented national mall developer in acquisition and development of regional malls in Texas.
• Represented national entertainment company in acquisition, development and/or lease of multiple venues throughout the United States.

Education

J.D., St. Mary’s University, 1978, Phi Delta Phi, Associate Editor St. Mary’s Law Journal
B.A., Political Science, Tulane University, 1975

Professional Activities

• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• State Bar of Texas — Real Estate, Probate and Tax Section
• San Antonio Bar Association
• Real Estate Council of San Antonio

Honors

Mr. Golden is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2010, 2017, 2023, and 2025 Lawyer of the Year – Real Estate Law San Antonio) (Woodward White, Inc.) and Texas Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters)

Mr. Golden Has Represented

• Affinius Capital
• Barshop & Oles Company
• Birnbaum Property Company
• CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.
• Cook Inlet Region, Inc.
• Darren Casey Interests,
• Embrey Partners,
• HEB Grocery Company, LP
• Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation
• Hixon Properties, Inc.
• Horseshoe Bay Resorts,
• House of Blues
• HSBC
• JP Morgan
• Levcor
• Marathon Real Estate Company
• New York Life Insurance Company
• Nuveen
• Rackspace, Inc.
• San Antonio Economic Development Corporation
• Silver Ventures
• Slate Real Estate Partners
• Trammell Crow Company
• Weston Urban

Professional Experience

Ms. Gordon is a partner with the firm. Prior to joining the firm, she practiced real estate law with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. in its San Antonio office. Ms. Gordon also trained at the Wilmington Institute during her undergraduate and law school studies, and co-authored strategy books titled, The One Minute Witness and On the Witness Stand.

Details of Practice

Ms. Gordon’s practice includes representing purchasers, sellers, borrowers, developers, landlords and tenants in various commercial real estate transactions. These include the acquisition, disposition, financing, development, management and leasing of all types of commercial properties, such as retail shopping centers, industrial and business parks, office, mixed-use and unimproved properties. Her representation has been integral to some of the most distinguished and recognizable commercial developments in the central and south Texas metropolitan areas.

Representative transactions include:

• Representing a large, regional supermarket chain in the acquisition, development, leasing, and sale of numerous grocery stores and grocery-anchored shopping centers throughout Texas.
• Representing several regional shopping center developers in the acquisition, development, financing, leasing and disposition of numerous shopping centers in San Antonio, Austin, along the IH-35 corridor and throughout Texas.
• Representing a publicly traded company in the development of its corporate headquarters, including redevelopment and tax incentive matters.
• Representing regional developers in the acquisition, development and leasing of mixed use landmark developments in San Antonio.
• Representing a local developer in the re-development of a mixed-use, urban project in San Antonio.
• Representing a regional developer in the acquisition, development and leasing of an industrial park in San Antonio.

Education

J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, with honors, 1998
B.A., Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, 1995

Bar Admissions

Texas

Community and Professional Activities

• President and founder of DaisyCares, a 501(c)(3) corporation
• State Bar of Texas — Real Estate, Probate and Tax Section
• San Antonio Bar Association
• San Antonio Young Lawyers Association
• Real Estate Council of San Antonio
• Bexar County Women’s Bar Association

Honors

Ms. Gordon has been named a “Rising Star” in Real Estate Law (Texas Monthly Magazine) and a “Best Lawyer” in Real Estate Law (Scene in SA Magazine).

Details of Practice

David’s practice includes the representation of clients in commercial real estate transactions involving retail, undeveloped land, multi-family, office, mixed-use, and industrial properties. He assists clients with the acquisition, disposition, development, and leasing of commercial properties. His duties include drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases and related contracts, conducting review of due diligence items including comprehensive title and survey matters, and drafting objection and curative documents related to title and survey matters.

Education

J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2025
B.A., Criminology, St. Mary’s University, magna cum laude, 2022

Bar Admissions

Texas

Community and Professional Activities

• San Antonio Bar Association
• San Antonio Young Lawyers Association

Details of Practice

Ciaran’s practice includes the representation of clients in commercial real estate transactions involving retail, undeveloped land, multi-family, office, mixed-use, and industrial properties. He assists clients with the acquisition, disposition, development, and leasing of commercial properties. His duties include drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases and related contracts, conducting review of due diligence items including comprehensive title and survey matters, and drafting objection and curative documents related to title and survey matters.

Education

J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2024
B.A., History, Classics, and Plan II Honors, University of Texas at Austin, summa cum laude, 2015

Bar Admissions

Texas

Community and Professional Activities

• San Antonio Young Lawyers Association
• San Antonio Bar Association

Professional Experience

Ms. Hill is Of Counsel to the firm. She served as in-house Managing Attorney for Valero Energy Corporation, overseeing the commercial and real estate legal matters for the Valero branded 900+ convenience store/motor fuel facilities chain, and then as General Counsel of CST Brands, Inc., the spin-off of the “Corner Store/Valero” branded convenience stores (ultimately sold and rebranded as “Circle K” convenience stores). Prior to her time with Valero Energy and CST Brands, she worked as in-house real estate counsel for Susser Holdings, Inc., the owner of 300+ “Stripes” convenience store/motor fuel facilities, which were later acquired by Sunoco.

Details of Practice

Ms. Hill has handled complex real estate projects and transactions, both acquisitions and divestitures, for two publicly-held retail convenience store/motor fuel retailers. She oversaw the purchase and leasing of unimproved property for development and construction of convenience stores with underground fuel tanks, as well as the acquisition of operating convenience store packages and sale leaseback transactions, including the integration of operating stores into company footprints and ensuring fuel brand consistency. Ms. Hill is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and worked as a PMP for the in-house legal teams of two large public companies in Austin and San Antonio. Her extensive experience in commercial real estate transactions, combined with her project management work as a PMP provides a unique platform from which to assist her clients.

• Handled $83 million acquisition of 72 convenience store sites from Alberstons, and $58 million acquisition of 38 sites in Arkansas.
• Negotiated, drafted and reviewed real estate contracts to purchase/lease properties from $300K to $1 million.

Education

J.D., Texas Tech University, 1986
B.A., University of Texas at El Paso, cum laude 1976

Bar Admissions

Texas

Professional Activities

• Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation
• San Antonio Bar Association
• Alamo Chapter, Project Management Institute

Details of Practice

Bailey’s practice includes the representation of clients in commercial real estate transactions involving retail, undeveloped land, multi-family, office, mixed-use, and industrial properties. She assists clients with the acquisition, disposition, development, and leasing of commercial properties. Her duties include drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases and related contracts, conducting review of due diligence items including comprehensive title and survey matters, and drafting objection and curative documents related to title and survey matters.

Education

J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2022
B.A., International and Global Studies, St. Mary’s University, summa cum laude, 2020

Bar Admissions

Texas

Professional Activities

• San Antonio Bar Association
• Bexar County Women’s Bar Association

Details of Practice

Amy’s practice includes the representation of clients in commercial real estate transactions involving retail, undeveloped land, multi-family, office, mixed-use, and industrial properties. She assists clients with the acquisition, disposition, development, and leasing of commercial properties. Her duties include drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases and related contracts, conducting review of due diligence items including comprehensive title and survey matters, and drafting objection and curative documents related to title and survey matters.

Education

J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, summa cum laude, 2023
M.B.A., Oklahoma City University, 2007
B.A., College of the Holy Cross, magna cum laude, 2001

Bar Admissions

Texas

Details of Practice

Nicole focuses her practice on general real estate law and the representation of clients in various commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing, development and leasing of office buildings, retail developments, multi-family projects and mixed-use properties. Her duties include drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases and related contracts, conducting review of due diligence items, including comprehensive title and survey matters, as well as preparing objections and curative documentation. Nicole’s practice also includes the preparation and negotiation of construction contracts for office buildings, shopping centers, mixed-use project and other large commercial projects.

Professional Experience

Nicole is of counsel with the firm. Prior to joining the firm in 2020, she practiced oil and gas law with Santoyo Wehmeyer, P.C. in San Antonio, Texas. In law school, Nicole Served as Comment Editor for the Texas Tech Law Review. After law school, Nicole served as a law clerk to the Honorable Phil Johnson of the Texas Supreme Court for one year.

Education

J.D., Texas Tech University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2015
B.A., Sociology, Texas Tech University, summa cum laude, 2012

Professional Activities

• State Bar of Texas, Real Estate Section; Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Section
• San Antonio Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association, San Antonio Chapter
• Bexar County Women’s Bar Association and Foundation
• San Antonio Young Lawyers Association

Professional Experience

Ms. Shoumaker is a paralegal with the firm. She has worked in the legal field for more than 23 years, specializing in litigation, intellectual property and real estate for both in-house counsel and various law firms in San Antonio. Ms. Shoumaker began her career as a Legal Assistant at Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP, specializing in delinquent property tax collection and litigation.

After earning her Paralegal Certification in 1996, she continued her career as an Intellectual Property Paralegal for AT&T and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. Prior to joining Golden Steves & Gordon in 2016, Ms. Shoumaker was the Real Estate Paralegal for Norton Rose Fulbright, US, LLP.

Details of Practice

Ms. Shoumaker assists with all aspects of the firm’s commercial real estate law practice, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing, leasing and development of all types of commercial properties, such as retail shopping centers, industrial and business parks, office buildings, multi-family projects, mixed-use and unimproved properties and other real estate financing transactions. She assists with all aspects of a transaction, including the preparation of documents, due diligence review, analysis and resolution of title and survey issues, and organizing and assisting with transaction closings.

Education

Paralegal Certificate, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 1996
Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 1992

Professional Affiliations

San Antonio Paralegal Association

Volunteer Experience

• Volunteer, San Antonio Humane Society
• Life Member, San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc.
  • Auction Committee, 2010 –Present
  • Raffle Committee, 2007-2010
• Volunteer, San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc.
  • Fall Fest Committee, 2005-2007
  • Calf Scramble Committee, 2004-2005

Professional Experience

Mr. Steves served as law clerk to Hon. John H. Wood, Jr., U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, from 1975 through 1977. In 1978, Mr. Steves joined Matthews, Nowlin, Macfarlane & Barrett (later Matthews & Branscomb) in San Antonio where he served as a partner in the real estate practice group focusing on banking and secured transactions. He left Matthews & Branscomb in 1992 to enter his family business, Crest Metal Doors, Inc., a manufacturer of nationally distributed insulated entry products, where he served as president and CEO until 2010 when the company was merged with Steves & Sons, Inc. He continues to serve as Treasurer and General Counsel of Steves & Sons. In 2010, Mr. Steves formed Crest Equity Management, LLC, to manage oil and gas royalty revenues and provide informational support for minerals leasing activities.

Details of Practice

Mr. Steves primarily represents mineral interest owners in all areas relating to the realization of the economic value of their minerals including title evaluation, geophysical exploration, lease negotiation and enforcement, surface damage limitation and remediation, water usage and disposal, easements and rights of way.

Representative transactions include:

• Represented consortium of electric utilities, construction firms, and chemical companies in the development of $1.2B cogeneration facility.
• Served as FNMA-approved counsel in the formation of numerous condominium and planned unit development projects throughout Texas.
• Represented Dallas County in the establishment of a regional transportation authority.
• Represented southwestern financial institutions in the securitization of various REMIC issues.
• Represented RTC in the implementation of its Land Fund Program.
• Represented various independent banks in Central and South Texas in establishing model terms and conditions for real estate secured loans.

Education

J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 1975, Phi Delta Phi
B.A., Physical Sciences, Harvard University, 1972

Community and Professional Activities

• Associate Member, The Institute for Energy Law
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• State Bar of Texas — Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law and Real Estate, Probate and Tax Sections
• San Antonio Bankruptcy Bar Association

Professional Experience

Ms. Swearingen is a Partner with the firm. Prior to that, she served as senior counsel and an associate with Akin Gump in San Antonio, Texas for 11 years. She had previously spent 4 years in the finance section of Butler & Binion in Houston and Dallas and 3 years in the Texas General Land Office.

Details of Practice

Ms. Swearingen’s practice includes the representation of purchasers, sellers, borrowers, developers, landlords and tenants in various real estate transactions, including the acquisition, financing, leasing and development of office buildings, mixed-use projects, retail projects, industrial projects, apartments and unimproved land. A significant part of Ms. Swearingen’s practice includes the representation of owners in the preparation and negotiation of construction contracts for industrial facilities, office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, mixed-use projects, and other large commercial projects. She has also represented private and public mortgage lenders in the negotiation and documentation of various financing transactions.

Education

J.D., University of Texas 1983
B.A., Princeton University, cum laude, 1978

Community and Professional Activities

• San Antonio Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas — Real Estate Probate and Tax Section and Construction Law Section
• Texas Association of Bank Counsel
• Real Estate Council of San Antonio
• Member of Board of San Antonio Museum of Art

Professional Experience

Ty is an associate at Golden Steves & Gordon with an extensive background in real estate and other transactional matters. Ty’s practice includes representing clients in the acquisition, disposition, financing, development and leasing of commercial properties. During his time at GSG, Ty has represented businesses and developers in the negotiation and closing of several purchase and sale agreements, including multimillion-dollar transactions for shopping center, mixed use, commercial office, and raw land properties; drafted and negotiated long term commercial leases and ground leases on behalf of both landlords and tenants; and prepared development agreements, restriction documents and easement, right-of-way and license agreements for shopping center, multi-family and mixed-use developments.

Details of Practice

Prior to joining GSG, Ty served as an attorney with Brazos Valley Title Company in Glen Rose, Texas, where he closely managed and facilitated commercial and residential real estate closings in all aspects. Before BVTC, Ty was an associate attorney with McDonald Sanders, P.C., in Fort Worth, Texas, where he represented large corporate clients in a range of civil matters that spanned commercial real estate, energy and utilities, landlord/tenant, corporate law, banking, estate planning and probate.

With his well-rounded understanding of transactional law, Ty is able to deliver insightful counsel and practical solutions to clients with respect to their commercial real estate matters.

Ty is a seventh-generation Texan from Glen Rose, Texas. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, watching sports, listening to Texas country music, hiking and being outdoors.

Education

J.D., Texas Tech University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2018

• Texas Tech Law Review: Staff Member 2016-17 and Articles Editor 2017-18
• Property Tutor for Professor Gerry Beyer’s 1L Property Course 2016-17 and 2017-18
• Top Grade Award for Commercial Law (Commercial Paper & Secured Transactions), Legal Writing and Wills & Trusts

B.A., Political Science, University of Pennsylvania, 2014

• Varsity football wide receiver
• Francis “Reds” Bagnell Football Award
• Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of Texas, 2018

Details of Practice

Rebecca Valdez is Partner to the firm. Prior to joining Golden Steves & Gordon, LLP, she practiced real estate and business law with Pazouki & Arambula, LLP for 13 years.

Professional Experience

Rebecca’s practice includes representing purchasers, sellers, borrowers, developers, landlords and tenants in various commercial real estate and business transactions, including but not limited to retail, multi-family, industrial, and office transactions. Rebecca has extensive experience representing clients in a wide variety of complex transactions, including multi-asset acquisitions and dispositions, sophisticated leases, equity financing, and institutional credit facilities.

A few of Rebecca’s representative matters include:

• Representation of multi-family developer in acquisition, development, and financing of luxury apartment complexes throughout Texas.
• Representation of multi-family developer in the negotiation of joint venture agreements with a national developer for the development of luxury apartment complexes.
• Representation of client in a multifaceted agreement with developer and City of San Antonio.
• Representation of regional car-wash developer in the acquisition, development, financing, and disposition of multiple car-wash facilities.
• Representation of clients in multiple acquisitions and dispositions of packaged convenience store locations and fuel distributorships in Texas and Tennessee.
• Representation of regional lender in various lending transactions, including but not limited to construction loans, revolving lines of credit, and guidance lines of credit.
• Representation of purchaser in the acquisition of 20+ dollar stores in Texas and Louisiana.
• Representation of regional retail developers in connection with leasing of first-class shopping centers in and around the San Antonio area.

Education

St. Mary’s University School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence 2008
Phi Delta Phi, International Legal Honors Fraternity
St. Mary’s University, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science 2003
Delta Sigma Epsilon, National Scholastic Honor Society

Professional Activities

San Antonio Bar Association

Bar Admissions

Texas

Details of Practice

Riley’s practice includes the representation of a diverse range of clients in connection with the acquisition, disposition, development and leasing of commercial properties. He has handled a wide variety of sophisticated transactions in the San Antonio metropolitan area, throughout the State of Texas and across the United States. On the development side, Riley has provided legal representation for numerous retail, multi-family, mixed use and industrial projects, from retail strip centers to one million plus square foot industrial developments. He has also extensive experience representing sellers in the disposition of retail centers, office buildings and industrial complexes. A substantial portion of his practice consists of representing both landlords and tenants in the negotiation of complex industrial, office and retail leases, including multiple leases covering one million plus square foot industrial spaces, leases of premises for use as a grocery store, leases of large, multi-story office buildings, and retail leases with local and national tenants.

A few of Riley’s representative matters include:

• Representation of Seller in the disposition of 17 industrial properties, consisting of more than 4.4 million square feet, in 9 markets across the United States.
• Representation of institutional real estate development company in the leasing of over 25 million square feet of industrial logistics facilities across the United States.
• Representation of landlord in the leasing of office and retail space in buildings containing approximately 215,000 square feet in downtown San Antonio.
• Representation of Purchaser in the acquisition of a hotel in downtown San Antonio.
• Representation of Seller in the sale of a 22-story office building in downtown San Antonio.
• Representation of retail developer in the acquisition, development and leasing of over 10 retail centers in the San Antonio area.
• Representation of Seller in the development and disposition of approximately 75 acres for mixed use development in Bexar County.
• Representation of purchaser in the acquisition of a 51,000 square foot office building in downtown San Antonio.
• Representation of landlord in the leasing of 1 million square feet of industrial space in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
• Representation of a landlord in the leasing of office space in a 12-story building in San Antonio.
• Representation of a regional supermarket chain in the acquisition, development, leasing and sale of numerous grocery stores and grocery-anchored shopping centers throughout Texas.
• Representation of a regional supermarket chain in the acquisition of 6 grocery stores in the Dallas area.
• Representation of a retail developer in the acquisition of over 100 lots for assemblage of a retail development center in the Houston area.
• Representation of a retail developer in the acquisition and assemblage of 11 adjacent residential and commercial properties in urban Dallas.

Education

J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2012
B.S., Texas A&M University, cum laude, 2009

Honors

Riley is a graduate of the 2015-2016 Real Estate Council of San Antonio Leadership Development Program. He was also a member of both the John M. Harlan Honor Society and the Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society while in law school. In addition, his comment, a “Shift in Power: Why Urban Drilling Necessitates a Change in Regulatory Authority”, was published in Volume 43 of the St. Mary’s Law Journal.

In law school, Riley served as both Associate Editor (2011-2012) and Staff Writer (2010-2011) for the St. Mary’s Law Journal, and he was the recipient of the award for Outstanding Associate Editor. He also worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable Xavier Rodriguez of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio.

Bar Admission

Texas

Community and Professional Activities

• Real Estate Council of San Antonio
• San Antonio Bar Association
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation – Stewards of the Wild
• Coastal Conservation Association