James H. Patterson

• Arizona Business Magazine
  • "Top 100 Lawyer in Arizona," 
• The Legal 500 United States
  • "Recommended Lawyer," 
  • Real Estate, 2024
• Martindale-Hubbell® AV Rating
• American Lawyer Media
  • "Top Rated Lawyer," in Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2013
• Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
  • Real Estate Law
• Best Lawyers in America®
  • Real Estate Law, 2010-2025

James Patterson has been certified as a specialist in real estate law by the State Bar of Arizona since 1986. His practice concentrates on matters relating to all aspects of real estate and financing, including:

Negotiating acquisitions and dispositions; drafting options, purchase contracts and escrow supplements; title review and negotiation with title insurers; preparation of closing documents, including notes, security instruments, assignments and collateral assignments, and deeds; preparation of co-ownership agreements, easements and cross-easements, licenses and covenants; and preparation of rolling option and master developer agreements;

Representation of private and institutional lenders, including national banks; preparation of a full range of loan and security documents; negotiation and documentation of workouts, modifications and restructurings; preparation of inter-creditor agreements; representation of clients as borrowers and preparation of consents, subordination agreements and opinions of counsel;

Representation of major retail developers in the negotiation and drafting of incentive agreements with municipalities, including statutory Government Property Lease Excise Tax (“GPLET”) leases;

Representation of municipalities in complex real estate transactions, negotiation and drafting of development, reimbursement and incentive agreements, and GPLET leases;

Extensive leasehold practice; preparation of gross, net and percentage leases for shopping centers, office buildings and medical plazas; preparation of ground leases for both ground-lessors and ground-lessees; representation of tenants in negotiations with landlords;

Representation of home-builders and developers, including preparation of CC&R’s (including VA and FHA compliance) and other contracts; preparation of commercial and residential condominium documents; general subdivision work and applications before the Arizona Department of Real Estate; representation of developers providing Section 42 housing;

Entity representation, including creation and maintenance of corporations; general, joint venture and limited partnerships; and limited liability companies; and

General commercial representation of clients and preparation of standard and non-standard agreements.

Clerk, Honorable William E. Eubank, Arizona Court of Appeals (1975-76)

SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS

Represented RED Development in negotiating and drafting development agreements and GPLET leases for the development of mixed-use projects on Block 22 and Block 23 in downtown Phoenix, one of the most significant downtown redevelopment projects in the State;

Represented the City of Mesa, Arizona, in connection with a development agreement and long-term facilities use agreement with the Chicago Cubs for its spring training facility;

Represented the City of Mesa, Arizona, in connection with the sale of 10,000 acres (originally acquired as a “water farm”) in Pinal County, Arizona;

Represented a private developer in connection with a $240 million public infrastructure reimbursement agreement with the City of Surprise, Arizona

• Supreme Court, State of Arizona
• United States District Court, District of Arizona
• United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit