Joseph B. Conn
Counsel
Joe represents a national base of clients in a wide variety of commercial real estate matters. He has significant experience representing commercial real estate developers and landlords, as well as national retail tenants, in transactions involving site acquisition, development, and financing; anchor tenant leasing; the development and sale of end-user parcels; the purchase and sale of completed commercial projects; disposition of excess property; sale/lease-back of retail stores; warehouse leasing; corporate headquarters office leasing; and property management. Joe’s experience also includes matters involving joint ventures; consulting and project management; and management of complex uninsured real estate litigation and dispute resolution.
Joe previously served as Deputy General Counsel-Real Estate for Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc., a publicly traded specialty grocery store headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. He also spent seven years as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of PetSmart, Inc., where he was responsible for all real estate legal matters affecting the company.
Education & Admissions
Education
- University of Cincinnati
(B.A., 1972)
- University of Cincinnati College of Law
(J.D., 1977)
Admissions
- State of Arizona
- State of Ohio
Experience
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Represents national retail tenants in the lease-up of new locations.
- Represents national landlords in the development and lease-up of shopping centers.
- Involved in numerous other real estate transactions representing developers, landlords, tenants, sellers, buyers, brokers and managers of shopping centers and retail, office, industrial and residential properties.
- Served as general counsel and as development counsel for two large privately-held shopping center development companies based in Washington, D.C.
- Served as outside general counsel for a Mid-Atlantic retail development company.
- Assisted in the development of Kenwood Town Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and negotiated the agreements to acquire and develop the land that eventually became Sawgrass Mills in Broward County, Florida, and Franklin Mills in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of a publicly traded national retail chain.
- Served as Deputy General Counsel-Real Estate for a publicly traded specialty grocery store.
Publications & Presentations
Presentations
- Joe regularly presents at the annual ICSC U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference
- Joe speaks regularly at the Georgetown Law Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute
Involvement
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Georgetown Law: Advance Commercial Leasing Institute (Advisory Board Member)
- International Council of Shopping Centers
Honors
- Named to The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law (2024)