Upshaw & Ware, LLC is a commercial real estate law firm based in Atlanta. The firm was founded by attorneys who built their careers at major national law firms (Alston & Bird, Jones Day, and Butler Snow) and in the in-house legal departments of large corporations, including Home Depot, Georgia-Pacific, and The University of Georgia. We decided to leverage our years of experience to build a firm that is dedicated to commercial real estate.
The premise is straightforward: the quality of a commercial real estate attorney’s work is driven by experience, judgment, and commitment to the client, not by the size of the firm where that attorney practices. Sophisticated commercial real estate counsel means knowing the client’s objectives and helping achieve them. It does not require a significant cost structure.
The Upshaw & Ware team handles commercial real estate transactions nationwide. Our practice covers:
- Acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate assets
- Development and construction, from land use through project closeout
- Leasing for owners, developers, and tenants
- Joint ventures, equity structures, and investment vehicle formation
- Financing across the capital stack, including construction loans, permanent debt, mezzanine, and preferred equity
- Corporate governance, entity formation, contracts, and partnerships
- Dispute resolution in commercial real estate matters
Unlike most law firms, commercial real estate is the sole focus of what we do. This means all of our clients get to work directly with a senior-level attorney who knows the ins and outs of the real estate business, which is expertise that has proven invaluable for our clients.
How Our Team Works
Many law firms can provide technical legal advice. What clients often value most, however, is access to attorneys who understand their business and are available when decisions need to be made. Upshaw & Ware was intentionally structured so that clients work directly with experienced attorneys who remain involved throughout the life of a transaction and are accessible when timing matters.
Upshaw & Ware also draws on its lawyers’ substantial experience in the corporate world, not just private practice. Several of our attorneys worked in the in-house legal departments of major companies. That experience changes how we give advice. We understand that in-house attorneys answer to business leaders who need advice on decisions, not more legalese, and we tailor our advice accordingly.
Who We Work With
Over many years of experience, we have successfully represented commercial real estate developers, equity investors, and companies with significant real estate operations nationwide. Many of them worked with our attorneys at our prior firms and followed us when Upshaw & Ware was founded. That continuity reflects what we set out to build: a firm where the relationship with the client is durable, and the work is second-to-none.
Our clients are building businesses over long horizons. So are we. We would be honored to come alongside you as you build and grow.