OverviewMichelle provides strategic counsel and representation to clients involved in a range of construction, real estate and project development matters. Representative work includes:
- Complex real estate purchase, sale, leasing, and sale-leaseback transactions
- Entitlement processes and resolving zoning and land use issues
- Public financing and public-private partnership developments
- Easements, licenses, and rights-of-entry agreements
- Developing and implementing best practices on large-scale, high-ticket construction, and development projects
- Advising on single-family, multi-family and condominium developments
- Negotiating, drafting and advising clients on construction-related agreements
- Handling real estate construction related disputes, such as contractor and design defect cases, lien claims, insurance coverage claims, and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) matters
ExperienceRecent representations include:
- Assisting industrial large employer in the multifaceted acquisition and development of an environmentally complicated site, including navigating TIF funding and stakeholder interests
- Providing a higher education client with RFP assistance, construction contract drafting and entitlement guidance
- Aiding private real estate investor in tax advantage acquisitions and dispositions of multi-family projects
- Advising a public institution client on bond financing, architect, owner’s representative and construction contracts, and development agreements of a complex, multi-million catalytic project
- Assisting steel fabricator in the purchase and sale of environmentally contaminated property and rezoning and addressing other entitlement matters affecting the property for the future development
- Training and implementing contracting best practices for renewal energy client across multiple sites in the upper Midwest
- Representing a real estate investment firm in the refinancing of a large, residential housing complex
- Advising agricultural industry client on disposition of complex, multi-parcel sites
- Negotiating and drafting prime and subcontracts for utility contractor for projects throughout U.S.
- Assisting real estate developer in the acquisition, financing, entitlement work of a unique lakeshore residential condominium development
- Aiding general contractor in development of large, mixed use urban developments, including office, retail, and student and market-rate housing
- Providing advice to retailer on site selection, acquisition, development and financing – including TIF funding – of multiple sites throughout upper Midwest
- Advising public housing authority on multiple development issues, including providing advice on open records and public bidding requirements, utility and cellular tower leases and easements, low-income housing tax credit financing requirements, and public-private partnership opportunities
Honors & Recognitions
- Leading Real Estate Lawyer, Chambers USA, 2024
- Best Lawyers®, Women in the Law (Milwaukee, WI), Construction Law, and Real Estate Law, 2022-Present
- Notable Women in Law, BizTimes Media, 2022
- The Best Lawyers in America©, Construction Law and Real Estate Law, 2020-present
- The Midwest’s Best Lawyers©, Construction Law and Real Estate Law, 2021
- Up and Coming Lawyers, Wisconsin Law Journal, 2016
- Recipient, CALI Excellence for the Future Award
- Member, Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society
Professional Activities
- Member of Board of Directors, Milwaukee Bar Association
- Secretary and Member of Board of Directors, WCREW
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Wisconsin Bar Association
- Member, Commercial Association of Realtors – Wisconsin
- Member, Association of General Contractors
- Former President and Board Member, Momentum Milwaukee
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