Karl's creative, efficient, and practical approach helps clients efficiently navigate complex commercial real estate transactions while advancing their broader business objectives.
Overview
Karl counsels public and private clients, including Fortune 500 and private equity, through the process of acquisitions, leases, financing and management of local, regional and national commercial real estate investment portfolios. He has significant experience with development matters for data center, industrial and retail properties. Karl also has notable command in the acquisition, financing and disposition of condominium and multifamily investments, and the leasing of industrial, office, retail and entertainment-based properties. In addition, Karl advises clients in preferred equity and mezzanine financing transactions, along with tax-based investments and transactions.
Karl demonstrates the firm's commitment to diversity and pro bono and community service through his involvement with Start at Zero, a local nonprofit focused on early childhood development, his service on the Greater Kansas City Chamber's Business for Education Committee, and the firm's pro bono work in partnership with Legal Aid of Western Missouri.
Prior to joining the firm, Karl worked as underwriting counsel for First American Title Insurance Company, National Commercial Services, in Kansas City, MO, where he served as the principal commercial underwriting resource for Kansas and Missouri and managed regional and national underwriting matters.
Experience
Real Estate Transactions
- Lead counsel representing national institutional lender in regional market rollout and saturation of retail branch locations throughout the Midwest, including Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Minnesota and Tennessee
- Lead real estate counsel representing Maxus Properties in the acquisitions and management of numerous Class A multifamily investments, and the disposition of multi-regional multifamily portfolio with aggregate valuation of up to $2 billion
- Represented hyperscale developer in acquisition and development of 800+ MW data center
- Represented municipality in option agreement and sale of decommissioned municipal power plant for data center and BESS conversion
- Lead real estate counsel representing Chicken N Pickle in numerous acquisitions and financings as part of multi-regional market expansion, including local development incentives
- Represented multiple office landlords in leasing and property management matters for commercial office space in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas
- Represented numerous beer distributors in acquisitions of distribution businesses and related real estate holdings throughout the United States totaling over $200 million
- Represented landowners in several multimillion dollar solar lease projects in southwest Missouri, central Kansas and southeast Kansas
- Real estate counsel for multiple private equity, privately-held and publicly traded companies in leasing and other real estate matters in connection with dozens of platforms and strategic acquisitions
Real Estate and Construction Finance
- Lead counsel representing Cordish Companies in obtaining HUD construction loans and Fannie Mae refinancings for multiple Kansas City and other Midwest multifamily developments, each in excess of $75 million
- Represented institutional, REIT and private lender clients in dozens of real estate financing transactions for residential developments, commercial acquisition and construction, bridge financing and refinancing
- Represented cooperative association in manufactured home park residents' organization, acquisition and financing of real estate near Kansas City, the first ROC USA financing of a resident-owned community in the State of Missouri
Tax-Based Real Estate Investments
- Represented REIT in acquisition of $60 Million retail/entertainment property as part of reverse 1031 exchange transaction
- Represented REIT clients in creation and unwinding of multiple tenancy in common ownership structures and property management agreements for 1031 exchange investments
- Represented multiple clients in structuring, acquiring and managing opportunity zone investments across the Midwest and southern United States, including representing a REIT in the acquisition of a $40 million multifamily project in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Represented real estate investor in sale leaseback acquisition of $16 million Class A office building in Omaha, NE as the replacement property in a 1031 exchange
News & Insights
News
Publications
"Cooperative Ownership Can Help Solve Housing Crisis," Law360, February 28, 2022
Speaking Engagements
Karl speaks regularly at CLE and similar educational presentations on title insurance and related topics.
Recognitions
Recognitions
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® list, 2023-2027
Selected to Missouri Lawyers Media POWER List: Commercial Real Estate, 2025
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
Westwood Foundation, Board of Directors
Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), Kansas City Chapter
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions Leadership Program, Class of 2017
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Nebraska
Education
William Mitchell College of Law (Mitchell Hamline School of Law), J.D., cum laude, 2008
Lake Forest College, B.A., cum laude, 2004
