Philip G. Skinner

Partner

Direct: 404.873.8798
Fax: 404.873.8799
Atlanta
171 17th Street NW
Suite 2100
Atlanta, Georgia 30363

Biography

Phil Skinner is a senior partner in the Real Estate practice and co-chair of the Office industry team. He is also a member of the Industrial & Warehouse/Distribution industry team and the International Initiative.

Phil has over 45 years of experience representing owners, developers, foreign and domestic investors, landlords, and tenants in the acquisition, joint venture, development, financing, disposition, and leasing of all types of commercial real estate, with a particular focus on office and industrial buildings and mixed-use projects. Such work also includes the negotiation of build-to-suit leases and headquarters leases; the negotiation of joint venture documentation between developers and investors; the representation of developers on complex multi-property assemblage transactions; and the preparation and negotiation of complex declarations of protective covenants, operating agreements, and reciprocal easement agreements. He also has extensive retail transaction experience.

Phil left private practice for several years to be the general counsel of RTM Inc., the largest franchisee of Arby’s at the time. He helped RTM acquire or develop over 800 stores, including the acquisition of over 500 Arby’s restaurants. He also led the legal work on RTM’s acquisition of the Mrs. Winner’s Chicken (110+ stores) and Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken (270+ stores) fast-food restaurant chains.

After Phil returned to AGG, he led the firm’s legal work on the Atlantic Station project in midtown Atlanta from 2002 to 2010. Phil was also the lead partner for AGG’s legal work on the land assemblage and numerous transactions for the 1,300-acre LakePoint Sporting Community in Bartow County, Georgia.

 

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    Experience

    • From 2021 to present, represented owner of major Miami, Florida, office building on 25 office leases.
    • From 2021 to present, represented Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on multiple office leasing matters, including office lease on premises in the new, to-be-built One Phipps Plaza building.
    • Represented GBT Realty in a 52,000 RSF office/headquarters lease with FirstBank as tenant for premises in a new, to-be-built One22One Broadway office building in Nashville, Tennessee.
    • Represented OliverMcMillan in a 218,000 RSF office/headquarters lease with AllianceBernstein as tenant for premises in the new, to-be-built 371,000 RSF office building in the Fifth + Broadway project in Nashville, Tennessee.
    • Represented Trammell Crow Company in two build-to-suit industrial leases with Home Depot as tenant for premises in Stonecrest, Georgia (614,000 RSF), and Conroe, Texas (615,000 RSF).
    • From 2018 to present, represented Emory University affiliate, EUEP, LLC, on office and medical office leases at the Executive Park project in Atlanta, Georgia.
    • Represented SK Commercial Realty and its affiliates on office leases in multiple buildings in  metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, including 900, 1000, and 1100 Circle 75 Parkway.
    • Represented Trammell Crow Company in a 332,000 RSF office/headquarter lease with Insight Global as tenant for premises in a new, to-be-built 334,000 RSF Twelve24 office building in Sandy Springs, Georgia (north metro Atlanta).
    • Represented Trammell Crow Company in a 846,000 RSF whole building industrial lease to Castlegate Logistics (Wayfair), in Henry County, Georgia (south metro Atlanta).
    • Represented Holder Construction in a 56,000+ RSF office lease for premises in the new, to-be-built Riverwood 200 office building in the NW/Vinings submarket.
    • Represented Bennett Thrasher in a 62,500+ RSF office lease for premises in the new, to-be-built Riverwood 200 office building in the NW/Vinings submarket.
    • Represented Six Continents Hotels, Inc., an affiliate of International Hotels Group, on a 488,000+ RSF U.S. headquarters office lease transaction.
    • Represented a foreign investor in structuring first of five proposed joint ventures for the investment in to-be-developed multi-family apartment projects in the southeastern U.S., completed in April 2015.
    • From 2008 to present represented Crocker Partners and its affiliates on office leases in various buildings in metropolitan Atlanta, including Ashford Perimeter in the Central Perimeter submarket; Cumberland Center II in the NW/Vinings submarket; Deerfield Pointe I and II and 5900 Windward Parkway in Alpharetta submarket; Prominence in the Buckhead submarket; and Regions Plaza in the Midtown submarket.
    • Represented The William Carter Company (Carters/Oshkosh) as a tenant on a 288,000+ RSF U.S. headquarters office lease transaction for premises in the new Phipps Tower office building in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia.
    • Represented a foreign investor in structuring a joint venture for the $45 million acquisition of limited liability company interests pertaining to a commercial condominium in New York City.
    • Represented five foreign investors in structuring joint venture with U.S. company for acquisition of multifamily apartments and closed on their first acquisition for $45 million apartment project in San Antonio, Texas.
    • Represented owner/developer in the preparation and negotiation of two long-term sports-use anchor tenant leases for to be developed mixed-use project.
    • From 2010 to 2017, represented owner/developer of Lake Point® project, a 1,200+ acre assemblage for a mixed-use development north of Atlanta, including joint venture transactions, land acquisitions, project financing, preparation of declaration of covenants, restrictions and easements on the project, parcel sales and on two long-term youth sports-use anchor tenant leases.
    • Represented owner/developer in the preparation of declaration of covenants, operating and easement agreement, and air-right sales contracts for mixed-use redevelopment project.
    • Representing a foreign equity investor in structuring joint venture with U.S.-based developer of office/flex properties and closing acquisition and financing of first development in North Carolina, and in structuring the joint venture for the acquisition of three office/flex buildings in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, and closing the acquisition and financing of same.
    • From 2007 to present represented KBS and its affiliates on office leases in the following buildings in metropolitan Atlanta: 171 17th Street in the Midtown submarket; Great Oaks Center in the Alpharetta submarket; Hartman I and II in the Alpharetta submarket; Overlook I in the NW/Vinings submarket; and Royal Ridge in the Alpharetta submarket.
    • Represented owner/developer in development, financing, and leasing of Atlantic Station, a 137-acre mixed-use Brownfield redevelopment project in Atlanta.
    • From 2002 to 2010, represented the owner of the Atlantic Station project on office leases in the following buildings: 171 17th Street, 201 17th Street, and 271 17th Street in the Midtown submarket.
    • Represented owner, Mills Corporation, in the closing of $180 million construction/development financing for a regional mall development.
    • Represented purchaser RTM Inc. in an acquisition of a 354-store chain of Arby’s retail stores, and on other 100+ unit chain store acquisition transactions.
      Client Successes

      Credentials

      Education
      • Emory University School of Law, Juris Doctor — 1978
        • Emory Law Journal
        • Order of the Coif
      • Michigan State University, Bachelor of Science – Multi-Disciplinary Social Science — 1975
      Admissions
      • State of Georgia – 1978
      Associations
        • International Bar Association, 2009-present
          • Section of Cross-Border Real Estate, Advisory Committee and Former Officer and President
          • Section of Real Estate, Chairman, 2020-21; Planning Committee for the 2009-23 Annual Meetings and 2009-23 Real Estate Seminars
        • The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (“NAIOP”)
        • State Bar of Georgia, 1978-present
        • Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors, Legal Counsel to Forms Committee, 1992-present; First Non-Realtor Officer of ACBR

      Recognition

      • Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 2012-25
      • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers, Real Estate, 2007-11, 2013-24
      • Georgia Super Lawyers, 2004-22

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