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Professionals

Kenneth P. "Pete" Ezell Jr.

Senior Counsel

Pete Ezell's clients include manufacturers, REITs, investment banking firms, developers, financial institutions, non-profit organizations and governmental units. 

Featured Experience


Representation of a global automotive manufacturer in negotiating, structuring and documenting economic incentives granted by the State of Tennessee for an electric vehicle assembly plant.

Served as bond counsel on behalf of a commercial real estate investment and development firm in the issuance of more than $800 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance the development of a low- and moderate-income housing facilities.

Served as bond counsel for the issuance of tax-exempt qualified 501(c)(3) bonds in the aggregate principal amount of $100 million, the proceeds of which were loaned to a private university for the construction of new facilities.

Professional Biography


Pete Ezell assists his clients in structuring, negotiating and completing complex commercial real estate transactions, including developments, sales and acquisitions, land assemblages, financings and leasing. He has significant experience with payment in-lieu-of tax transactions (PILOTs) and other economic development transactions. 

Mr. Ezell also serves as bond counsel in conduit tax-exempt bond financings, including qualified 501(c)(3) bonds and low and moderate income housing bonds. 

Mr. Ezell has been a frequent lecturer at legal seminars and workshops.

  • Representation of a global automotive manufacturer in negotiating, structuring and documenting economic incentives granted by the State of Tennessee for an electric vehicle assembly plant.

  • Served as bond counsel on behalf of a commercial real estate investment and development firm in the issuance of more than $800 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance the development of a low- and moderate-income housing facilities.

  • Served as bond counsel for the issuance of tax-exempt qualified 501(c)(3) bonds in the aggregate principal amount of $100 million, the proceeds of which were loaned to a private university for the construction of new facilities.

  • Represented a bank in the extension of $25 million in loans to a municipal government to finance improvements to sports/entertainment facilities.
  • Represented a client in the sale of a portfolio of medical office buildings in Knoxville, Tennessee, with an aggregate value of approximately $65 million.

  • Represented a client in the acquisition of a portfolio of medical office buildings in Nashville, Tennessee with an aggregate value of approximately $80 million.

  • Represented a client in the acquisition of an orthopedic hospital and connected medical office building in Indianapolis, Indiana.

  • Represented a client in the acquisition, leasing and subsequent sale of a 350,000-square-foot commercial office building in Brentwood, Tennessee.

  • Assisted a client in the development and financing of a hotel/office/retail mixed use project in Nashville, Tennessee.

  • Represented a manufacturer of cheese products in a payment in-lieu-of tax transaction for a $200 million manufacturing facility.
  • Represented a health care real estate investment trust in the acquisition of medical office buildings in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a transaction value of $35 million.

  • Fellow – American College of Real Estate Lawyers
  • Board of Directors and Vice President – Working Group on Legal Opinions Foundation (2006 – 2020)
  • Named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers
  • Listed in Chambers USA as a leading Real Estate lawyer in Tennessee since 2006 
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law since 2007; Land Use and Zoning Law since 2008; Public Finance Law since 2011; Commercial Finance Law since 2012; Commercial Transactions/UCC Law since 2013; Economic Development since 2020 
  • Named the Best Lawyers® 2025 and 2021 Economic Development Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
  • Named the Best Lawyers® 2022 Land Use and Zoning Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
  • Named the Best Lawyers® 2020, 2018, and 2016 Commercial Transactions/UCC Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
  • Named the Best Lawyers® 2019, 2017, and 2014 Commercial Finance Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
  • Selected to Mid-South Super Lawyers since 2006; named among top 100 attorneys in Tennessee and top 50 Nashville attorneys 
  • Named "Best of the Bar," Nashville Business Journal (2004 – 2007, 2011 – 2013, 2015)
  • Listed in The International Who's Who of Real Estate Lawyers (2013, 2020)
  • Past Chair – Committee on Legal Opinions in Real Estate Transactions; Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the American Bar Association
  • Chair – Joint Committee on Legal Opinions, Tennessee Bar Association
  • Past Chair – Attorney's Opinions Committee of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers
  • Member – National Association of Bond Lawyers
  • Member – Nashville, Tennessee and American Bar Associations
  • Board of Directors – Nashville Sports Council (Chairman, 2011 – 2013)
  • Board of Directors – Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America
  • Recipient – Silver Beaver Award from the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America
  • Recipient – National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award from the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America
  • Lieutenant, U.S. Navy Reserve (Active Duty 1972 – 1976)
  • "Recent Developments in Legal Opinions," Cumberland School of Law, Birmingham, Alabama (2017)
  • "Real Estate Legal Opinions," Working Group on Legal Opinions, New York, New York (2016)
  • "Real Estate Finance Opinion Report," ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Section ECLE (2013)
  • "Real Estate Finance Opinion Report," American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Washington, D.C. (2013)
  • "What's In Your Opinion," American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Naples, Florida (2013)
  • "Annotated Real Estate Finance Opinion Workshop," American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Tucson, Arizona (2011)
  • "Third Party Legal Opinions," Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville, Tennessee (2011)
  • "The ABC's of Closing Opinions," ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Section Young Lawyers Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah (2008)
  • "Personal Property Security Interest Opinions," ABA Tax & Real Property Joint Meeting, San Francisco, California (2005)
  • "Local Counsel Opinions," ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, San Diego, California (2004)
  • "Local Counsel Opinions," ABA Annual Meeting, New York, New York (2002)

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