In Good Sign for Market, Major Law Firm Beefs up Real Estate Prac |

5/5/2015 In good sign for market, major law firm beefs up real estate prac | www.statesman.com

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Shonda Novak In good sign for market, major law    COMMENTS AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF firm beefs up real estate practice

 8:49 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 | Filed in: Business

MyStatesman In a sign that experts anticipate a rebound in the region's real estate market, the influential Winstead law firm has moved to expand its real estate practice, luring veteran Austin real estate attorney Steve Drenner and his team away from the firm he cofounded. Get complete, indepth analysis and more with Pete Winstead, founding shareholder of Winstead PC, one of the largest business our interactives law firms both locally and statewide, said the move came about because the Access to MyStatesman included Central Texas real estate market is "poised on the head of a rocket." Warren Buffett's buy list for Statesman Reuters subscribers. EXPLORE  "It's off life support and sitting up and taking nourishment. And I think it will be out of bed and walking down the hall shortly," Winstead said. "We see activity coming back."

Drenner is making the switch with his SIGN UP FOR E-NEWSLETTERS entire team from Drenner & Golden Want more news? Sign up for free newsletters to get Stuart Wolff LLP. The others are attorney more of the Statesman John Donisi, now a Winstead delivered to your inbox. More videos: shareholder, along with Michele Haussmann, director of planning and development; project managers Amanda Swor and Ashley Parsons; and legal MOST READ secretary Heather Kuhn.

Drenner specializes in obtaining zoning Greg Abbott defends his Jade 1 Helm directive changes, variances and entitlements for WINSTEAD PC Steve Drenner is a veteran real estate attorney. his developer clients in the Austin area and other Texas cities. For Greg Abbott, it’s out of the Jade Helm frying pan and Clients include HEB, the region's dominant grocer, as well as Endeavor Real 2 into the Garland fire | First Reading Estate Group, Stratus Properties Inc., Simon Property Group Inc., American Campus Communities and Cousins Properties, which developed the Frost Tower on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin. Investigators: STAR Flight 3 hoist in spin before McLain In his new group, Winstead's Real Estate Development and Investments Practice fell Group, Drenner will work with clients in Austin, San Antonio and across the Central http://www.statesman.com/news/business/ingoodsignformarketmajorlawfirmbeefsupre/nRf6F/ 1/3 5/5/2015 In good sign for market, major law firm beefs up real estate prac | www.statesman.com

Texas region. Drenner could not be reached for THINGS TO DO comment Wednesday.

BOSSTalks Webinar: What… Winstead said the addition of Drenner and his team is a @Business Success Center Tue. 5/5 1pm strategic move for the Winstead firm, coming as the

local real estate market is rebounding from a slowdown BizAid Business Orientation @Tech Ranch Austin that saw financing for new development dry up locally Wed. 5/6 1pm and nationwide. START SMART May 2015 @BiGAUSTIN Business and "I couldn't be more pumped," Winstead said. "It's the Technology Center Mon. 5/11 6pm biggest news in the legal market in Austin in 10 years." Add Event + SEE MORE WINSTEAD PC Pete Winstead says addition is a strategic move. With Drenner and Donisi, Winstead has made 57 attorney hires companywide this year, including the Bob Burton group in Austin. The Burton group is a real estate team that represents national, regional and local clients in the acquisition, development, operation and administration of residential and mixed use, condominium and masterplanned communities.

"We're adding people. We're getting bullish," Winstead said. He noted that major deals are proceeding or are on the cusp of moving forward, from the Formula One racetrack under construction in Travis County, to the state's new effort to seek unsolicited proposals for publicprivate partnerships for projects, to downtown projects that are on the verge of moving ahead .

"Money has been on the sidelines, but we're seeing more activity" and seeing funding "freeing up for new projects," Winstead said.

The Winstead firm has 300 lawyers in eight cities: Austin; Dallas; Fort Worth; Houston; San Antonio; The Woodlands near Houston; Charlotte, N.C.; and Washington, D.C.

Don Stuart, Drenner's longtime law partner with whom he has practiced for more than 30 years, said the parting was amicable.

"It's always sad for a good friend to leave, but it's a good opportunity for Steve," Stuart said. He said the move will give Drenner a statewide presence for his work.

With Drenner and Donisi's departures, Stuart said Golden Stuart and Wolff still has about 17 lawyers in Austin and San Antonio. Stuart said the remaining group intends to stay together, focusing as before on real estate, business and tax law.

"We're all happy for him," Stuart said of Drenner. "This is a friendly deal."

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