Shams Merchant is the preeminent attorney in Texas for complex commercial real estate land use, zoning, & entitlements representation for investors, developers, and property owners. His Texas land use & zoning practice covers the full spectrum of issues relating to buying, selling, and developing commercial real estate across Texas and nationwide. 

Unlike most other attorneys, Shams advises on and resolve, complex land use and zoning issues on a fixed fee, providing our clients with cost-effective and industry-leading representation to get them across the finish line and their projects completed in record time. He has successfully handled various land use and zoning issues in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.

Texas Land Use & Zoning Opinion Letters Counsel 

As an expert in Texas land use and zoning law, Shams Merchant is often sought out as local counsel in Texas to provide land use and zoning opinion letters. He provides market-leading opinion letters on a fixed fee to lenders, capital partners, investors and developers, other law firms, and various third parties nationwide.

Entitlements & P3

Shams also assists clients in collaborating with governmental entities in the formation and structuring of public-private partnerships and governmental incentives for various commercial real estate development projects across Texas, including for the following asset classes:

  • Mixed-Use Projects
  • Commercial Office Buildings
  • Multi-Family and Apartments
  • Retail Centers and Shopping Centers
  • Restaurants, Hospitality & Resorts
  • Industrial/Warehouse Properties & Business Parks
  • Student Housing

More About Texas Land Use and Zoning Attorney Shams Merchant

With experience working on more award-winning ULI real estate projects than any other real estate attorney under the age of 35 and over $3.2 billion in transactions, Shams is the leader in Texas commercial real estate and private equity law. He represents clients nationwide on the purchase, sale, development, leasing and financing of commercial real estate projects between $1 to $250 million, including retail, mixed-use, office, industrial, hospitality, restaurant & bars, and multi-family. Shams also represents clients in joint-ventures, business structuring, entity formation, and fund formations (including 506(c) and 506(b) offerings). Shams is also one of the few attorneys in Texas with in-depth experience in real estate disputes and litigation, including breach of real estate contracts, breach of leases, CAM calculations and other complex leasing disputes, brokerage commission disputes, property tax litigation, disputes between partners and shareholders, deed restriction disputes, real estate fraud and title and boundary disputes. Shams believes access to sophisticated and responsive counsel should not cost a premium. With that in mind, Shams provides a cost-effective and value-added service to his clients, whether they are new to the real estate or private equity business or a seasoned player. By working with his clients to reduce their legal spend, Shams has helped his clients increase the ROI on their real estate projects and the overall profitability of their businesses. As the authority in Texas commercial real estate law, Shams was recently featured in the Houston Business Journal, Dallas Business Journal, Austin Business Journal, Law 360, JD Supra and The Real Deal for his work. His projects and clients have also been featured on numerous regional and national industry publications.

For more information on Shams Merchant’s Texas land use and zoning law practice, please contact Shams Merchant via email at shams@mwfirm.com or by phone at (832) 451-2594.

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