W. Grant Scott, II

Partner

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Areas of practice

Education

  • J.D., Duquesne University School of Law
  • B.S., University of Virginia

Bar Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • West Virginia

Biography

Grant is Chair of the Real Estate & Lending Group. He counsels clients in every segment of industrial and commercial real estate, such as structuring, negotiation, and documentation of sophisticated real estate transactions, including the acquisition, sale, sale-leaseback, and disposition of real properties. He also advises owners and tenants on leasing agreements, counsels borrowers on financing, and works in tandem with the firm’s Corporate and Tax Departments on the real estate components of mergers, acquisitions, and dissolutions. Grant has represented property owners in tax assessment and exemption appeals, has negotiated natural resources leases and acquisitions and advises real estate broker licensing requirements, brokerage agreements and brokers’ liens. In addition, he routinely deals with matters involving real estate litigation, real estate workouts, leasehold negotiation, and leasehold workouts.

Grant is frequently selected as a mediator and arbitrator in private disputes and in matters at suit. He is also the longest tenured member of the firm’s Management Committee, having served since 2001.

Professional/Community Involvement

  • International Council of Shopping Centers, Member
  • National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, Member
  • SIOR Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, Member
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, Member
  • Allegheny County Bar Association, Member
    • Real Property Section Member
    • Chair 2001
    • Vice Chair 2000
    • Treasurer 1999
    • Secretary 1998
    • Lawyer-Realtor Committee
    • Agreement Drafting Subcommittee
      • Commercial Agreement of Purchase and Sale
      • Storefront Lease Agreement
      • Pennsylvania Attorney General-Approved Plain Language Residential Lease
  • Lebanon Planning Board, Former Member
  • Urban Impact, Little League Baseball Coach, 2017-2020
  • Quaker Valley Recreation Association, Board Member 1997-2007
  • Little League and Pony League Baseball Coach, 1996-2007

Additional Information

Grant and his wife, Cindy, have three adult children and two grandchildren, and reside in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.

Representative Matters

  • Serves as outside general counsel to multi-faceted east coast developer, most recently completing the development of a 135 + acres development of 1.2 million sq. ft. of retail, medical, hospitality, office, entertainment, residential and senior living. This project, included land acquisition, site plan development, reciprocal easements, entitlement approvals working with local counsel, financing and will continue with leasing and ongoing management of the development.
  • Currently leading the legal team for the same east coast developer on 3.0 million sq. ft. master planned, mixed-use development comprised of a business park, retail, medical, professional space, hospitality, entertainment, senior living as well as single- and multi-family residences situated on 400 +- acres of land near the Triangle East region of Raleigh. Construction began in 2021. The project, some of which is on land within an Opportunity Zone, has included land acquisition, obtaining entitlement approvals working with local counsel, financing, and will continue with leasing and ongoing management of the development.
  • Represented real estate investment group in the disposition of its $250,000,000 multi-state real estate portfolio.
  • Represented a regional business in acquisition and development of a “Brownfields” site for its corporate headquarters, warehousing, and distribution facility.
  • Serves as outside general counsel of a regional storage developer in all business and real estate matters, including the development of 30+ facilities over the past 25 years. This work includes acquisition, entity selection, financing, corporate counsel work, tax assessment advice and appeals, where applicable, joint investment agreements, and advises on daily corporate and business matters.
  • Aided client in acquiring a large office park as the “stalking horse” in a competitive Bankruptcy Court bid.
  • Represented developer in the acquisition and development of a 153-acre parcel near a large university for the construction of a 1360 bed student housing facility, and subdivision to enable sales to work force housing developer and single-family builder.
  • Lead legal team representing family members in partition action to drive the sale of property for mixed use development when large family group was unable to resolve internal family disputes.
  • Represented owner in the sale of a 50+ unit multi-state portfolio of Retail Pad Building.
  • Represents out-of-region developer in acquiring and repurposing CBD office buildings. To date, this client has completed conversions of multiple buildings: residential, residential with education component, and residential with office. Continued representation as developer continues to seek out other opportunities.

Education

  • J.D., Duquesne University School of Law, 1987
  • B.S. in Commerce, University of Virginia, 1983
    • Judicial Representative for the McIntire School of Commerce
    • Four year letterman for the University’s football team
    • “Most Hustle Award,” for consistent dedication
    • “Keller and George Award,” given to the outstanding lineman
    • “Robert C. Camp Award,” given to the individual who consistently displayed excellence in scholarship, leadership, and athletics through his/her college tenure

Communications

  • “Managing Commercial Real Estate Leases: Pennsylvania State Q&A,” Practical Law published by Thomson Reuters, April 2023.
  • “A Case Study of the Challenges Encountered During the Development of a Modern-Day Shopping Center,” Presenter, Sponsored by NAIOP and Allen Kells School of Real Estate, Pittsburgh, 2014
  • “Leasing Trends from a Lawyer’s Perspective and Leasing Letters of Intent,” Presenter, Sponsored by NAIOP and Allen Kells School of Real Estate, Pittsburgh, April 2012.
  • “Agreement Fundamentals and Due Diligence Checklist for Real Estate Acquisitions,” Presenter, Sponsored by NAIOP and Allen Kells School of Real Estate, Pittsburgh, December 2009.
  • “Summary of Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act Provisions Pertaining to Residential Security Deposits,” Sponsored by Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pittsburgh, 1995.
  • “Landlord Remedies,” Sponsored by Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pittsburgh, 1995
  • “Mechanics’ Lien Law in Pennsylvania,” Sponsored by the National Business Institute, 1995.
  • “Use of Confessions of Judgment in Commercial Landlord and Tenant Actions,” 1995.
  • “Do’s and Don’ts of Commercial Broker Liens,” conducted this program in 2010 and 1995.
  • “Agreements of Purchase and Sale – Commercial,” 1995. Sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association – Real Property Section and PBI
  • “Agreements of Purchase and Sale – Residential,” 1995. Sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association – Real Property Section and PBI.

Awards/Honors

  • AV Preeminent® Rating from the Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™
  • Recognized as Pittsburgh’s 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation – Real Estate
  • Recognized as Pittsburgh’s 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law
  • Recognized as Pittsburgh’s 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America® for Land Use and Zoning
  • Included in The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Real Estate Law, recognized since 2007
    • Land Use and Zoning Law, recognized since 2018
    • Litigation – Real Estate, recognized since 2018
  • Selected to the 2007-2013 and 2015-2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list