Our Team
Scott provides professional legal services, including advising clients in Indiana and across the country on all aspects of commercial real estate development, including due diligence, land assemblages, construction, financing and management of new and existing projects; analysis of complex legal issues; review and drafting of complex legal documents; communications with various governmental departments and officials; presentations to Plan Commissions and Boards of Zoning Appeals throughout Indiana; representation of company's legal matters; preparing and filing copyright and trademark applications; representation of lenders in commercial transactions; preparation of covenants and restrictions and condominium documentation; communications with other professional such as accountants and tax advisors; formation and documentation of various types of legal entities; estate planning for individuals; and secession planning for companies.
Scott counsels individuals, many small-to-medium sized businesses, commercial real estate developers, entrepreneurs, municipalities and financial institutions on issues, including: formation, corporate governance and shareholder agreements; transactional matters and financing; and mergers, joint ventures and acquisitions.
In 1994, Scott received his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Indiana University, Bloomington and received his Doctor of Jurisprudence as a Law Faculty Scholar in 1997 from the Wake Forest University School of Law.
Scott and Wendy have been married since 1996 and have three children. Ashley, a graduate of the University of Southern California, is a Project Manager with Crowdstrike, a publicly traded global internet security company based in northern California. They have twin sons Connor and Nathan. In an Indiana tradition, Connor is a sophomore at Purdue University in the School of Computer Science and Nathan attends his parent’s alma matter Indiana University in Bloomington in the Luddy School of Informatics. Wendy and Scott enjoy their time as empty nesters with their yellow Labrador Retriever Wagner a/k/a Wags to keep them company
Areas of Practice
Commercial Real Estate Acquisition and Development
Land Use and Zoning
Shopping Center Acquisition and Development
Condominium Formation
Real Estate Transactions
Commercial Lease Negotiation and Drafting
For Profit and Non-Profit Business Formation and Representation
Shareholder Agreements
Mergers, Joint Ventures, and Acquisitions
Trademark and Copyright
Estate Planning
Honors And Awards
Law Faculty Scholar, Wake Forest University School of Law
Past President, Phi Delta Phi Ruffin Inn Legal Fraternity, Wake Forest University School of Law
Past President, Sports and Entertainment Law Society, Wake Forest University School of Law
Leadership Fort Wayne, Class of 2008
Future 40 Award Recipient
Super Lawyers - Rising Star
Super Lawyers
Fort Wayne Monthly Top Lawyers - Real Estate/Land Use & Zoning
Professional Associations
+ Memberships
Allen County Bar Association, Real Estate Section, Past Chairman
American Bar Association, Member
Indiana State Bar Association, Member
South Carolina State Bar Association, Member
Embassy Theatre Foundation, Inc., Indiana Hotel, Chairman, Redevelopment Task Force
Embassy Theatre Foundation, Inc., Past Secretary and Past Member, Board of Directors
Fort Wayne Sports Corporation, Past Member, Board of Directors
James (Jim) was admitted to the bar in the State of Indiana in 1975 after serving as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Since then, he’s been practicing law in Fort Wayne, focusing on real estate and business matters. Jim has represented real estate developers, national commercial retailers, and agricultural owners and livestock producers in local, regional and statewide projects. He was a principal author of amendments to Indiana planning and zoning laws, as well as many of the forms for residential real estate and construction in Northeast Indiana. In addition, Jim has served as a chairman, as well as an author and lecturer in numerous real estate legal education programs for lawyers, planners, and real estate professionals
Areas of Practice
Real Estate Transactions and Leasing
Real Estate Development
Land Use and Zoning
Agricultural Real Estate Matters
Business Formation, Organization and Governance
Business Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions
Construction Contracts
Real Estate and Business Litigation
Bar Admissions
Indiana
U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Education
Wayne State University Law School, Detroit, Michigan
J.D. – 1975
Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
B.A. cum laude – 1969
Major: Psychology