Valerie Medina
Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Valerie is a counsel in the firm's commercial real estate practice and is based in the San Antonio office. Valerie’s practice focuses on a broad range of complex commercial real estate and corporate transactions including negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, procuring title insurance and negotiation of title insurance underwriting requirements, curing complex title and survey matters, performing environmental diligence, land-use and zoning matters, construction financing, development and property management, joint ventures, ground leases, access and utility easements, shared maintenance agreements, refinances, loan modifications, and foreclosures.
Valerie works with and advises public and private developers and builders, owners, borrowers, mortgage lenders, and municipal utility districts on transactions secured by improved and unimproved real property throughout the United States and across a broad range of asset classes, including single family residential, multifamily, commercial office, shopping centers, hospitality, mixed-use, industrial, retail, and auto manufacturing.
In addition to Valerie’s commercial real estate capabilities, Valerie also has extensive experience in the creation of residential subdivision restrictions and governance, and condominium regimes consisting of just a few or hundreds of units, including mixed-use, phased, and VA/FHA approved regimes, and the ongoing governance of such regimes as well as the creation and management of owner associations related to such projects.
Prior to Valerie’s legal career, Valerie served as an escrow officer for a nationally known title insurance underwriter where she handled complex title and escrow related matters and as a financial / closing coordinator for two nationwide residential homebuilders.
Professional experience
Collapse allBA, University of Texas at Austin, 2014
JD, Saint Mary's University School of Law, 2020
- Texas State Bar
- Representation of an institutional lender in connection with due diligence, development, initial construction financing and loan modifications related to a 5,000+ acre luxury ski resort and associated amenities located in Montana.
- Representation of a Texas-based private multifamily developer in connection with numerous projects across the United States, including acquisitions of improved and unimproved real property, entitlements, land-use, construction, development, joint ventures, private equity, senior and mezzanine financing, some of which include, among others:
- a US$176 million 19-story, 346-unit high-rise student housing development located adjacent to a major Texas public university.
- a US$90 million 14-story, 278-unit high-rise multifamily development located in Tennessee.
- a US$70 million two-phase, 400-unit 14-building multifamily development located in Florida.
- a US$90 million redevelopment of an office condominium project to a 261-unit multiple building multifamily development located in Arizona.
- several Class A, build-to-rent communities located in Texas and Florida containing hundreds of units.
- Representation of a growth capital firm in the sale of the largest vertically integrated greenhouse grower of vegetables in North America and all of its real property assets.
- Representation of a privately held operator of large-scale travel centers in its expansion and development of new stores across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky, in connection with the acquisition, entitlements, zoning, land-use, construction, and senior and mezzanine financing of such projects, as well as several New Markets Tax Credit program investments.
- Representation of a privately held developer of luxury ranchettes in the acquisition, financing and development of over 3,000 acres in the Texas Hill Country.
- Representation of the Texas division of a 70-year-old Canadian construction company with land acquisition and development of single-family residential subdivisions, townhomes, and condominiums, including the creation, formation, and administration of residential and condominium property owners' associations.
- Representation of a developer in the creation and implementation of master and subordinate covenants, conditions and restrictions, in connection with the development of a 2,716-acre municipal management district.
- Representation of a mezzanine lender in the refinance, modification, and ultimate disposition of a historic hotel to a real estate investment and development firm specializing in boutique hotels.
- Representation of a non-profit charitable organization in the acquisition of two apartment complexes in connection with providing shelter, housing, and other services to the homeless community of the second largest metropolitan area in Texas.
- Representation of a global automobile manufacturer in securing local and state economic incentives in connection with the US$531 million plant expansion, while also providing support on land use, construction and environmental matters.
- Representation of a global automobile manufacturer in due diligence and preparation of option agreements for the acquisition of more than 50 separate parcels involving more than 2,500 acres in connection with the acquisition and development of a US$1.6 billion auto assembly plant in Alabama.
- Representation of a high-profile client in the multi-million-dollar acquisition of a 1,000+ acre exotic game ranch in South Texas.
- Representation of a Texas-based builder and operator of build-to-rent communities in the formation of a multiyear, multibillion dollar joint venture with an investment-grade US institution, including the preparation of master covenants, conditions, and restrictions, as well as ancillary governance documentation.
- Representation of one of the fastest growing privately held residential builders in Texas in all aspects of the acquisition and development of improved and unimproved property, land-use, utility infrastructure, subdivision platting, and community association governance, including preparation of over 3,500 closing document sets for end-user sales/purchases.
- Representation of Texas regional division of a publicly traded homebuilding company in all aspects of the acquisition and development of improved and unimproved property, land-use, utility infrastructure, subdivision platting and community association governance.
- Representation of an investment group in the acquisitions, financing and ground leasing of over 400,000 square-feet across three Class A office complexes in Texas and Pennsylvania with a total deal value exceeding US$80 million.
- Representation of various municipal utility districts across Texas in connection with access, utility, storm water and drainage easements, administration of directors lots, condemnation and other real estate related matters.
- American Bar Association, Member
- State Bar of Texas, Member
- Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, Member
- Women and the Law Section, Member
- Texas Bar College, Member
- San Antonio Bar Association, Member
- Texas Exes, Life Member (Alumni Association of The University of Texas at Austin)
- Longhorn Foundation, Member
- St. Mary’s University School of Law, Law Alumni Association, Champion Member
- Kentucky Genealogy Society, Member