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Nellie S. Sullivan
+1.404.817.8539

Overview

Nellie Shipley Sullivan is a real estate attorney in Holland & Knight's Atlanta and Charlotte offices. Ms. Sullivan's practice ranges among a broad variety of transactions involving commercial real estate, and she serves as counsel to developers, builders, investors, and public and private corporations.

Enjoying almost 30 years experience practicing law, Ms. Sullivan has deep experience with a variety of developer projects, including master-planned, amenitized residential communities (single-family and multifamily), mixed-use, assisted living, office parks, industrial parks and malls. In addition, Ms. Sullivan leads teams in complex projects, including corporate expansions and relocations, various financing structures, acquisitions and divestitures of company product lines or asset classes, and multi-state portfolio transactions. Her teams create and negotiate documentation to establish new developments (development agreements, owners association and other governance documents, easements and the like), as well as help with leasing and ongoing operations.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Sullivan was a partner at a transnational law firm in its Atlanta and Raleigh, North Carolina, offices

Representative Experience

  • Serving as general counsel to a regional developer/owner (including single-family and multifamily)
  • Serving as general counsel to a regional developer/owner (including mixed-use, retail, hotel, office, single-family and multifamily)
  • Provided all aspects of development representation for a large industrial/warehouse developer/owner in South Carolina
  • Advised on North American corporate real estate strategy and execution (acquisition, management and disposition) for a global computer company's expansion of corporate, sales and technical support offices in connection with the acquisition of a competitor's product line and associated necessary new locations
  • Advised on U.S. corporate real estate strategy and execution (acquisition, management and disposition) and warehousing services arrangements for a global manufacturing company
  • Handled portfolio deals for investment companies expanding or shrinking brand or asset holdings
  • Advised on projects with economic development features, including a global contract pharmaceutical developer and manufacturer headquarters expansion and a national furniture seller locating a new manufacturing, showroom and regional headquarters

  • Represented the purchaser of a $106 million multifamily project in Tennessee that utilized 1031 funds, owner equity and $63 million in financing
  • Represented the purchaser of a $91 million multifamily project in North Carolina that utilized 1031 funds, owner equity and $60.3 million in financing
  • Represented the purchaser of a $162.55 million multifamily project in Georgia that utilized 1031 funds, owner equity and $104.9 million in financing
  • Represented the purchaser of a $95 million multifamily project in Georgia that utilized 1031 funds, owner equity and $61.4 million in financing
  • Represented the purchaser of an $86.6 million multifamily project in Tennessee that utilized 1031 funds, owner equity and $54.5 million in financing
  • Represented the developer/owner in the sale of a $303 million multifamily project in Virginia
  • Represented the developer/owner in the sale of a $277.5 million portfolio of assisted living facilities in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia
  • Represented the owner of ground lease and fee interests in grocery properties in the sale of its entire portfolio to a variety of purchasers in generally concurrent transactions in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Washington

  • Represents a global nonprofit in loans to local affiliates, fund formation and other finance projects
  • Represented the U.S. subsidiaries of a global agricultural technology company in $245 million in sale-leaseback financing of office, lab, manufacturing and agricultural properties in California, Idaho, Illinois and Nebraska
  • Represented the U.S. subsidiaries of a global agricultural technology company in $300 million in sale-leaseback financing of office, lab and manufacturing properties in Iowa, Minnesota and North Carolina
  • Represented a U.S. subsidiary of a global agricultural technology company in $130 million in synthetic lease construction financing of regional headquarters office and lab property in North Carolina

Credentials

Education
  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., with honors
  • Yale College, B.S., cum laude
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Georgia
  • North Carolina
Court Admissions
  • All Courts in Georgia
  • All Courts in North Carolina
Memberships
  • Leadership Atlanta, Board of Trustees, 2023-Present, Class of 2022
  • MODA, Board of Directors, 2023-Present
  • Urban Land Institute, Member, 2002-Present; Health Leaders Cohort 3, 2020; Member Atlanta District Council, 2016-Present; Founding Member, Triangle District Council, 2005 and Member, 2005-Present
  • Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network, Member, 1997-Present; Multifamily Council, 2023-Present; Delegate, 1999-2001; Communications Committee, 2013-2017; Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Member, 1997-Present; President, 2001-2002; Board Member, 1999-2003; Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Atlanta, Member, 2016-Present; Chapter Champion, 2020-2021
  • CoreNet Global, Atlanta and Carolinas Chapters, 2013-Present
  • Southern Economic Development Council, 2013-Present
  • Georgia Bar Association, Real Property Section, 2016-Present  
  • North Carolina Bar Association, Real Property Section; Land Use Section, 1994-Present
  • Georgia Economic Developers Association, 2015-Present
  • North Carolina Economic Developers Association, 2005-Present
  • Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Atlanta, Federal Club Council, 2016-Present; HRC Federal Club, 2014-2016
  • Yale Club of Georgia, 2016-Present
  • U.S. Green Building Council, Atlanta and North Carolina Chapters, 2007-2022
  • Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Board of Advisors, 2016-2022
  • Triangle Yale Club, President, 2012-2015
  • NC Tomorrow Initiative, North Carolina Association of Regional Councils, Advisory Committee, 2013
  • North Carolina Habitat for Humanity, General Counsel, 2010-2012
  • Wake County Sustainability Task Force, 2009-2012
  • Cary Economic Development Commission, Member, 2005-2011; Chair: 2006-2011
  • North Carolina Downtown Development Association, 2003-2016
  • Cary Chamber of Commerce, Member, 1996-2016; Board Member, 1999-2005; Chair, 2003-2004
Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2011-2024; Real Estate Law, 2011-2025
  • Women of Western Wake Award, Cary Magazine, 2008
  • Women in Business Award, Triangle Business Journal, 2006
  • Woman of the Year, Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), 2002
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated

News

Nellie Shipley Sullivan Joins Holland & Knight's Real Estate Team in Atlanta

Press Release / July 19, 2022
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