Michael H. Ward

Michael H. Ward is a commercial real estate attorney and Certified Public Accountant who represents businesses, developers, property owners, investors and other clients in a broad range of real estate transactions. His practice includes acquisitions and dispositions, property exchanges, escrow and financing closings, as well as title review, title clearance and title insurance matters. Michael also drafts and negotiates purchase and sale agreements, escrow agreements, letters of intent, memoranda of understanding and purchase options. He represents clients before public agencies and authorities in matters involving public subsidies, incentives and other aspects of real estate and economic development projects. His experience spans commercial, office, retail, multifamily, mixed-use and other development projects.

"Mike brings a passion for real estate and transactional law utilizing his 30+ years of experience representing public and private entities and individuals, narrowing the bridge between the public and private sectors with regard to real estate , land use, title clearance, entitlements and related matters, and finding the "apex" of where need meets opportunity."

Michael brings more than three decades of legal, business and transactional experience to SWTW Team, including significant experience in both private practice and government. Most recently, he served as Division Chief and, before that, Deputy Division Chief of the Real Estate, Land Use and Parks Division of the City of Atlanta Department of Law. In those roles, he advised City departments and agencies on real estate, development, land use and housing matters and served as lead closing counsel for City real estate transactions. Earlier in his career, Michael practiced with several prominent national and regional law firms and served as Secretary and General Counsel of the country's largest African American-owned construction and real estate company.

Throughout his career, Michael has structured, negotiated and closed complex real estate and financing transactions involving private companies, developers, governmental entities and public authorities. His experience includes public-private partnerships, conventional and subsidized financing, tax-exempt bonds, tax credit financing and large-scale development projects. Representative matters have included a $40 million acquisition of a 42-story office tower for the City of Atlanta, a commercial property exchange ("land swap" for the City of Atlanta in connection with the $1.2 billion Atlanta "Gulch" redevelopment; an Amended & R'estated lease for the Atlanta Beltline,

Michael earned his Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law and his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and an active member of the State Bar of Georgia.