Nelson, James E.

Jim is a shareholder in the firm of Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association, and a member of the Financial Institutions and Real Estate Section. He has been certified as a real property law specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. With 37 years of experience, Jim practices principally in the areas of:

• Commercial real estate purchase, sale and financing
• Commercial leasing

Commercial Real Estate Purchase, Sale and Financing

Jim assists clients with fulfilling real estate needs through the acquisition, development, financing and leasing of office, office/showroom, office/warehouse, warehouse, and manufacturing facilities. He frequently serves as real estate counsel in connection with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He has worked with clients in numerous industries—real estate, acute care nursing, hospitality, retail, automotive, manufacturing, restaurant and sports, among others.

Representative  transactions have included representation of:

• A publicly held company in the nationwide disposition of excess properties acquired during corporate acquisitions;
• Affiliated owners of manufactured home parks in multi-state, secondary market refinancing, which included defeasement of earlier debt obligations;
• The owner of a multi-building office park in a condo conversion and sale of all units;
• Multiple automobile dealerships in acquisitions by purchase and ground lease, and the financing of numerous locations throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area; and
• Quick service restaurant franchisees in acquisitions, financings and dispositions of multiple restaurant sites.

Commercial Leasing

Jim also has several decades of experience in commercial leasing. In the retail industry, he has represented major anchor stores, in-line tenants and shopping center owners throughout the country. Most recently, client representation has included:

• Resolution of lease and subrogation issues associated with fire damage impacting a leased manufacturing facility;
• Negotiation of lease amendments related to a client’s sale-leaseback for manufacturing facilities to comply with FASB regulations; and
• The leasing of a 75,000-square-foot building to a multinational corporation for its U.S. headquarters.

Admissions, Memberships and Education

Jim is admitted to practice in Minnesota. He is a member of the Hennepin County, Minnesota State, and American Bar associations, and the Hennepin County Bar Association Real Property Law Section and Title Standards Committee. Jim is also a longtime member of the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club for which he is currently president-elect. He is a frequent continuing legal education and law school lecturer on commercial real estate topics.

Jim is active in handling pro bono matters through the Legal Access Point Clinic of the Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN). He also provides real estate acquisition, construction and finance legal services to 501(c)(3) social service organizations.

Born in Breckenridge, Minnesota, Jim received his B.A. from the University of Minnesota and his law degree magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, where he was also elected to the Order of the Coif. He has been selected as a “Leading American Attorney” and listed in Minnesota Super Lawyers. Jim was a partner with Levitt, Palmer, Bowen, Rotman and Share, which merged with Briggs in 1983.