Experience:
Dean's practice includes representing individuals and companies in a variety of real estate and business matters. The following list is representative of the types of matters Dean has been involved with:
Assisted shopping center owners with commercial lease negotiations.
Assisted plumbing services company in acquisition of related business through asset purchase.
Assisted home builder in creation of form purchase agreements and warranty documents.
Assisted real estate developer in acquisition of site for new senior community.
Assisted property owners with settlement of foreclosure deficiency action.
Assisted farm property owners with quiet title action to railroad right of way.
Assisted business with contract for sale and transport of mineral goods to foreign buyer.
Assisted owner of distribution company with sale of corporation through stock purchase.
Assisted investors with acquisition of operating company using self-directed IRAs.
Assisted corporation with stock recapitalization and shareholder buy-sell agreements.
Assisted commercial real estate owner to sell property with seller financing.
Assisted developer of master planned community with CC&Rs and governing documents.
Assisted software company with license agreements and employment agreements.
Assisted small business with company formation and operating agreements.
Assisted industrial property owner with early lease termination agreement.
Assisted property owners negotiate settlement of title insurance claim.
Assisted national restaurant franchisee negotiate lease agreements.
Assisted individual with asset protection using Delaware limited liability companies.
Assisted note holder secured by trust deed with forbearance agreement.
Assisted farm owners with utility easement agreement and grant of easement.
Assisted general contractor with evaluation and settlement of claims.
Assisted industrial park owners association with collection of assessments.
Assisted HVAC contractor with settlement of state use tax claims.
Assisted property owner with lease option agreement.
Assisted health product developer with manufacturing and non-compete agreements.
Dean previously worked as in-house counsel in the Phoenix office of a national commercial real estate owner and developer, where he performed, as direct point of contact, virtually all legal and pre-development responsibilities in connection with the acquisition, entitlement, development, leasing and disposition of single-tenant and shopping center projects from 1 to 40 acres in multiples states. As an in-house attorney he had significant experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating legal documents related to commercial real estate transactions and developments, including purchase and sale agreements, triple-net (including build-to-suit) and gross leases, ground leases, declarations, restrictions and easements agreements, joint development agreements, consultant/vendor contracts, letters of intent, estoppels, subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreements, recognition agreements, deeds, easements, amendments, assignments and partnership agreements.
In his co-role as project manager Dean's additional responsibilities included: performing acquisition due diligence, including review of title documents, surveys and plats, and feasibility and environmental reports; researching zoning, subdivision, site plan, impact fee and other development regulations and processes; preparing, submitting and processing applications for zoning, site plan and subdivision approvals and other entitlements; advocating for the company at hearings and other meetings with government, business and public parties; contracting with and managing architects, engineers, surveyors, and other consultants in fulfillment of project responsibilities; and managing the pre-development budget and entitlement schedule.
Dean also spent two years in Albuquerque, New Mexico as in-house counsel for a regional commercial real estate owner and developer specializing in neighborhood shopping centers and developing new build projects for a well-known national drug store chain.
Education:
Juris Doctor, S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 2004.
Served as an editor of the Journal of Land, Resources and Environmental Law.
Published “Lawmaking on Federal Lands: Criminal Liability and the Public Property Exception of the APA.” Journal of Land, Resources and Environmental Law, Vol. 23 No. 2 (2003)
Bachelor of Science, Economics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 2001.
Dean was admitted to the Utah State Bar in 2004 and is a member in good standing. While living in New Mexico Dean was also admitted to and became a member of the New Mexico State Bar, but does not maintain current bar membership in New Mexico.
Member of the Real Property and Business Law Sections of the Utah Bar.
If you need a Utah real estate attorney, contact Dean Smith, Attorney at Law today.