Richard Warren represents a wide range of real estate developers, investors, lenders, landlords and tenants in all types of commercial real estate projects, including office buildings, retail and multi-family developments. His clients benefit from his vast experience in working with the various governmental officials involved in the entitlement process for new real estate projects, as well as his extensive network of industry professionals. Drawing on the deep bench of real estate lawyers at Bradley, Richard can staff projects efficiently and provide the necessary expertise to effectively handle leasing, financing, zoning and economic incentive matters.
An active volunteer in professional, civic and community affairs, Richard has served in key leadership positions with the major real estate trade associations in Nashville and has made presentations to a wide variety of real estate groups. Clients and colleagues value his steady demeanor, sense of humor and ability to find creative solutions to resolving conflicts and closing deals.
Richard is proud to have been involved in many of Middle Tennessee’s major real estate projects over the past four decades and is energized by the current activity in the market.
Nashville Bar Foundation, Fellow Listed in Chambers USA, Real Estate, 2006, 2008-2023 Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® Real Estate Law, 2005-2024 "Lawyer of the Year," Nashville, Real Estate Law, 2009, 2019 Impact Award, Nashville Chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, 2024 Listed in Nashville Business Journal, “Best of the Bar," Real Estate, 2012 Listed in Business Tennessee, Real Estate Law, 2010 Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, Real Estate Law, 2007-2014, 2017-2018 Outstanding Member, Nashville NAIOP Chapter, 2011 Nashville's 101 Top Lawyers, Real Estate, 2011 Representation of United Methodist Agencies - Representation of the United Methodist Publishing House in its publishing and retail bookstore operations as well as three general agencies of the United Methodist Church headquartered in Nashville in both their business activities and matters of church polity. Served as senior advisor to the United Methodist Publishing House in the sale of its seven-acre headquarters property, across from the Music City Convention Center, in four separate transactions, which included two sales to the developer of Westin and JW Marriott hotels. 1212 Laurel - Served as general counsel to the developers of a high-rise luxury condominium project, including the negotiation of both mezzanine and senior bank financing. 222 Second Avenue - Served as lead Tennessee counsel to Hines in the development of a new 25-story office/retail project in downtown Nashville. Renaissance Hotel - Counsel to the Ashford Hospitality REIT in connection with its ownership of the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville and its negotiation with the adjoining property owners in a major redevelopment of the former Nashville Convention Center. Germantown Apartment Project - Represented the developer of a new apartment project in the Germantown neighborhood in Nashville. 3322 West End Office Building - Assisted a local developer in acquiring this suburban office building from Aid Association for Lutherans, negotiating new leases, and then reselling it. Development of public schools and other public projects - Continuing representation of Hewlett-Spencer, LLC, a private developer in utilizing Tennessee’s Public Building Authority Act to develop multiple elementary, middle and high schools on a turn key basis in Maury County, Cheatham County, Grundy County, Cumberland County, Wilson County and Robertson County, Tennessee, and a criminal justice center in Wilson County. Development of Shopping Center at 2020 West End Avenue in Nashville - Negotiated a ground lease for the developer and subsequent retail leases with multiple tenants including three restaurants and a bank and a construction and term loan with a local bank to finance the project. Representation of Lionstone Group - Representation of Houston-based investment fund in its acquisition and development of urban infill sites in Nashville, including zoning and entitlement issues, and other development activity. Representation of private equity real estate investors - Representation of private equity firms that raise equity from investors for real estate investment. Assisted one client with the acquisition of a series of apartment projects across the Southeast and Midwest, including project financing of each acquisition. Represented a Midwestern firm in acquiring large industrial properties across the Southeast as well as an industrial park in Hammond, Louisiana, and a suburban office park in Montgomery, Alabama. Shoney’s of Knoxville, Inc. - Assisted the senior management of the largest franchisee of Shoney’s restaurants, in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, in organizing an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and in acquiring the 17-restaurant chain from its founders. Representation of the company included the arrangement of financing through Bank of America and the resolution of multiple tax and operational issues. Transition of business ownership - Assistance with a number of different businesses as retiring shareholders transferred their ownership to minority shareholders, senior management or third parties, including counseling on related financial and personal issues, often working with estate planning attorneys to fit this transaction into an overall estate plan. 2525 West End Office and Retail development - Represented Hines Interests in the construction and development of a mixed use facility under a ground lease from Vanderbilt University on its campus. Acquisition of portfolio of leases - Representation in the acquisition of a portfolio of office leases in Tennessee. Bank lending - Representation of numerous Nashville banks in making construction and term loans to build or acquire office, retail and industrial properties. Ground leasing for new office projects - Represented the land owners in the ground leasing of the site for the Pinnacle office building in Nashville, Tennessee, and the site for a major mixed-use property across from Vanderbilt University. Numerous dispositions of office buildings for a foreign investment group - Representation in numerous dispositions of office buildings, including one in Washington D.C., two in Dallas, one in Orlando and one in Phoenix. Permanent lending - Representation of life insurance companies and other permanent lenders in making loans secured by office, industrial and retail properties in Nashville, Middle Tennessee and in other parts of the country.
