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Cullen has extensive experience representing domestic and foreign clients in a wide variety of commercial real estate, corporate, partnership, and other business transactions, including representation of owners, buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and brokers in connection with the acquisition, sale, development, financing, leasing, and operation of commercial real estate; formation and restructuring of, and mergers and acquisitions of, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations; representation of lenders and borrowers in connection with loans, loan modifications, and workouts; representation of foreign investors doing business in the United States, and representation of U.S. companies doing business with foreign investors; and general business transactions.

Additionally, Cullen was selected by peers for inclusion among the Best Lawyers in America in the area of Real Estate and as one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Dealmakers in America. He is also rated AV Preeminent by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell. As the former head of the Commercial Real Estate Section of the firm, Cullen built a real estate group that led to the firm being named “Best Real Estate Law Firm” in North Texas by Texas Lawyer.

  • Representation of real estate investment banking firm in acquisition and financing of 23 shopping centers in nine states within nine months
  • Representation of developer in “Best Real Estate Deal of the Year” nominee for inner-city redevelopment
  • Representation of foreign investment group in purchase, financing, operation, refinancing and subsequent sale of high-rise hotel, including structuring of partnership between U.S. and foreign partners and negotiation of management, franchise and other contracts
  • Representation of investment group in purchase and subsequent sale of golf course, reverse osmosis plant, and related development land in U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Representation of real estate investment banking firm in creating a “revolving line of equity” to finance serial build-to-suit developments
  • Representation of developers in negotiation of joint ventures with institutional equity partners (and a subsequent “divorce”)
  • Representation of various institutional equity providers in negotiation of joint ventures with developers or in provision of subordinated debt
  • Representation of developers in numerous build-to-suits, including land acquisition, negotiation of leases with national credit tenants, construction and financing of leased premises, and subsequent sales
  • Representation of developers in residential and commercial lot developments
  • Representation of buyers and sellers of apartments, shopping centers, office buildings, hotels, warehouses, self-storage properties, and land
  • Representation of shareholders of a real estate management company in connection with a merger with a larger real estate services company; representation of shareholders of a software company in connection with an acquisition by a larger software company; representation of shareholders of a real estate brokerage firm in connection with its acquisition by a national brokerage firm; handled restructuring of holding company to facilitate acquisition; handled conversions of limited liability companies into limited partnerships and vice versa; handled migration of entities from one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction
  • Representation of numerous property owners in acquisition, construction, permanent and mezz loans and refinancings, with CMBS and traditional lenders
  • Representation of shopping center owners in lease negotiations with big box retailers and smaller tenants
  • Handling of all real estate nationwide for large industrial users
  • Handling all real estate for restaurant chain, including owned and leased space
  • Handling of multiple like-kind exchanges
  • Representation of purchaser of large portfolio of distressed apartments, including workouts with multiple lenders and their servicers
  • Representation of developer in workout of defaulted construction loans and bonded indebtedness, recapitalization, and redevelopment of large regional retail center
  • Representation of institutional purchaser of troubled note on “loan-to-own” basis, including subsequent foreclosure
  • Representation of large homebuilder on sale and financing of entire San Antonio operations (including the sale of real, personal and intangible property and assignment and assumption of various loans, contracts and other obligations), and on subsequent reacquisition of those operations
  • Development of innovative technique for restructuring U.S. partnerships in a manner that facilitated purchase of those partnerships by Canadian investors; subsequently used this technique to assist a partnership in Chapter 11 to raise Canadian and U.S. funds necessary to confirm a plan of reorganization
  • Representation of a German finance company in refinancing of foreign currency loans secured by mortgages on retail properties in five states, and in pledging the loan documents to a Luxembourg bank
  • Representation of foreign investment banking groups in loans secured by shopping centers, office buildings, and residential lot developments
  • Formation of various partnerships to purchase notes, loan pools, judgments, and deficiency claims
  • Representation of banks and other financial institutions in loan workouts involving developers, automobile dealerships, manufacturing companies, mortgage companies, and others
  • J.D., University of Texas Law School, 1979
    • Outstanding Member, Texas Law Review, 1977-78
    • Special Projects and Note Editor, Texas Law Review, 1978-79
  • B.A., with honors, University of Texas, 1976

Admitted to Practice: Texas, 1979

  • State Bar of Texas
  • American Bar Association
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Rated AV Preeminent by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell
  • Legal Leaders/Top Rated Lawyers, ALM and Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, 2018 – 2024
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, 2024