Aaron Espinoza

PROFESSIONAL

Aaron primarily practices in the areas of commercial real estate, finance and transactional law. He routinely represents lenders, buyers, sellers and other parties in the acquisition, ownership, leasing, financing, use, transfer and disposition of commercial real estate and other assets. He also has significant experience with complex commercial credit facility structuring and modification (including purchase money, refinance, development, construction and C&I credit facilities), defaulted loan collections, workouts and foreclosures, business formation and governance, corporate transactions, contract reviews and negotiations, and other business-related matters.

CLIENT EXPERIENCE

Some recent examples of Aaron’s experience include the following:

• Representation of seller in the disposition and seller-financing of a renowned winery (including the real estate and business assets) located in the Texas Hill Country.
• Representation of buyer in the acquisition of a retail shopping center located in Spring, Texas, and review and negotiation of new commercial leases for the shopping center.
• Representation of seller in the disposition of a 126-unit apartment complex located in Houston, Texas.
• Representation of lender in providing multi-million-dollar acquisition financing for a 185-unit apartment complex located in Houston, Texas.
• Representation of buyer in the acquisition, leasing and franchising of a pet boarding and grooming business in Richmond, Texas.
• Representation of commercial tenant and restaurateur with review and negotiation of shopping center lease for the opening of a new restaurant in Pearland, Texas.
• Representation of buyer restaurateur in the acquisition of property in Katy, Texas for the opening of two new restaurants.
• Representation of buyer charter school system in the acquisition of a 329,000+ square foot industrial property in Houston, Texas to build a new high school.
• Representation of buyer in the acquisition of real property and leasing of a Montessori-method school in Austin, Texas.
• Representation of lender in establishment of several multi-million-dollar credit facilities for development of master-planned communities in Brazoria, Williamson and Denton County, Texas.
• Representation of international commercial real estate sponsor and investor in acquisitions of retail shopping centers located in Texas, Ohio and Illinois, and private placements of equity securities in connection therewith.
• Representation of buyer in the acquisition of five-story office building located in Houston, Texas.
• Representation of lender in multi-million-dollar refinance of hotel property in Houston, Texas.
• Representation of lender in refinance of 22-property residential real estate portfolio.
• Representation of Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee in acquisition and disposition of real property and maritime assets in shipbuilding case.
• Representation of lender in establishment and modifications of multi-million-dollar asset-based revolving line of credit in favor of international chemical supply company secured by corporate assets and trade credit insurance policies.
• Representation of lender in establishment and modifications of multi-million-dollar asset-based revolving line of credit in favor of oilfield supply company secured by accounts receivable and inventory.
• Representation of small business owner in buyout of business partner’s equity interests in restaurant and food truck businesses, and subsequent formation of, and transfer of business interests into, Texas series LLC.
• Representation of small business owner in the sale of a hair salon business in Houston, Texas.
• Representation of various banks, mortgage servicers, credit unions and other lien holders in collections and foreclosures of consumer and commercial debts.

EDUCATION

• Juris Doctorate, cum laude, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, 2013.
• Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2009.

LICENSURE

State Bar of Texas
Houston Bar Association
Houston Young Lawyers Association

PUBLICATIONS

• Article (co-author): Commercial Construction Lending: Risks Faced by Commercial Construction Lenders and Strategies to Avoid or Cure them; Texas Association of Bank Counsel, 40^th Annual Convention, September 22-23, 2016, Austin, Texas.
• Article (co-author): Hot Topics in Finance; Texas Bankers Association, 41^st Annual Legal Conference, May 7-8, 2015, Lost Pines, Texas.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association
• Houston Young Lawyers Association

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

Aaron enjoys playing (trying to play) golf, avidly supporting his favorite sports teams, listening to live music and traveling with his wife, Sam. He also enjoys keeping up-to-date with the securities and real estate markets.