Tim Pakenham is a former leader of the firm's 57 lawyer Real Estate Finance and Investment Group. He is also a former Chair of the firm's Partners’ Committee and is currently a second-term member of that committee.
Mr. Pakenham focuses his practice on the development and financing of commercial real estate with a particular emphasis in the lodging industry. He also has extensive experience in large, multi-party credit facilities and in various off balance sheet financing vehicles. Tim has represented one of the world's largest retailers in a variety of its real estate needs, including the formation for that entity of a private real estate investment trust designed to save substantial state and local income and franchise taxes. He also represents one of the world's largest hotel licensing and operating companies in the acquisition, development, financing and disposition of hotel properties and in structuring and negotiating hotel management agreements.
Mr. Pakenham is currently engaged as counsel to the developer of one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced aquariums, located in downtown Atlanta. Tim also has advised insurance companies and commercial banks in a variety of credit arrangements, including both secured and unsecured facilities to owners of office buildings, multifamily complexes and shopping centers. In particular, he has represented large commercial banks in multi-state, multi-property loans syndicated in the real estate capital markets. He also has substantial experience in mezzanine financing, and in structuring off-balance sheet and tax advantaged real estate financings, including sale leasebacks and synthetic lease financing.
Tim Pakenham is a former leader of the firm's 57 lawyer Real Estate Finance and Investment Group. He is also a former Chair of the firm's Partners’ Committee and is currently a second-term member of that committee.
Mr. Pakenham focuses his practice on the development and financing of commercial real estate with a particular emphasis in the lodging industry. He also has extensive experience in large, multi-party credit facilities and in various off balance sheet financing vehicles. Tim has represented one of the world's largest retailers in a variety of its real estate needs, including the formation for that entity of a private real estate investment trust designed to save substantial state and local income and franchise taxes. He also represents one of the world's largest hotel licensing and operating companies in the acquisition, development, financing and disposition of hotel properties and in structuring and negotiating hotel management agreements.
Mr. Pakenham is currently engaged as counsel to the developer of one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced aquariums, located in downtown Atlanta. Tim also has advised insurance companies and commercial banks in a variety of credit arrangements, including both secured and unsecured facilities to owners of office buildings, multifamily complexes and shopping centers. In particular, he has represented large commercial banks in multi-state, multi-property loans syndicated in the real estate capital markets. He also has substantial experience in mezzanine financing, and in structuring off-balance sheet and tax advantaged real estate financings, including sale leasebacks and synthetic lease financing.
Mr. Pakenham is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and is featured as one of the leading Georgia lawyers for real estate in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. He has been listed for commercial real estate expertise in The Best Lawyers in America each year since 2000, and is also listed in Super Lawyers magazine. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, as well as the Pension Real Estate Association and CoreNet. He is also a member of the Real Property Section of the State Bar of Georgia and the Atlanta Bar Association.
Mr. Pakenham has written or spoken on a variety of real estate matters, particularly in the real estate finance area, including off-balance sheet and synthetic lease financing, and leasehold mortgage topics. Mr. Pakenham's paper "Making a Ground Lease Financeable" was presented at the Fall 2005 meeting of the American College of Real Estate lawyers. In 2000 and 2001, Mr. Pakenham chaired the national real estate law program for Law Education Institute's annual five-day national continuing legal education conference. In addition to chair responsibility, Mr. Pakenham presented and conducted roundtable discussions at the conferences on the subject of ethics and professionalism for transactional lawyers.
Tim received his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame in 1978. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fuqua Graduate School of Business Administration at Duke University. He received his law degree from Duke University School of Law in 1983. Mr. Pakenham is an active community volunteer, has participated in local leadership programs, and chairs or has chaired the boards and resource development campaigns of several nonprofit organizations. Tim is currently a member of the board of directors of The Sheltering Arms, one of Georgia’s largest non-profit organizations and is a two-term former chair. He is a member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce; a member of the board of directors of The Georgia Aquarium; and a director of Central Atlanta Progress. He is also currently president of the board of directors of Atlanta Athletic Club.