David L. Evans Jr.

Partner

Orlando
T +1.407.649.4078
F +1.407.841.0168

Overview

David Evans practices real estate and business law, and routinely represents clients in Florida and throughout the U.S. in complex real estate transactions, including acquisitions, sales, development, leasing, operation and land use matters.

David maintains a special emphasis on home builder and master developer representation (including the preparation and negotiation of complex restrictive covenants for mixed use and other developments), and on office, industrial, retail and restaurant leasing.

Select Experience

  • Represents publicly traded national home builders in the acquisition and development of undeveloped land and platted lots throughout the state of Florida. Certain transactions have included joint development agreements and land banking structures. Numerous individual transactions have values exceeding $15 million and certain significant individual purchase transactions have values of $350 million, $58 million, $42 million and $33 million. Annual cumulative transaction values have routinely exceeded $200 million.
  • Represents a publicly traded global hospitality and entertainment company in significant real estate-based transactions in the Central Florida tourist corridor, including acquisitions (for development and wetland mitigation), sales (for residential, hospitality, retail and commercial development), development, master covenants and leasing matters. Transactions range from one-off projects to master planned residential communities and commercial developments. Certain significant individual purchase and sale transactions have values of $48 million, $11 million and $7 million.
  • Represents a privately owned agriculture interest in real estate matters in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, including acquisition, disposition, leasing and operation of farms, green houses, packing houses, office space, solar fields, residential real estate and other real estate interests. Solar transactions have included option agreements with solar development companies for the development of solar fields on farmland owned by the client.
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Experience

  • Represents publicly traded national home builders in the acquisition and development of undeveloped land and platted lots throughout the state of Florida. Certain transactions have included joint development agreements and land banking structures. Numerous individual transactions have values exceeding $15 million and certain significant individual purchase transactions have values of $350 million, $58 million, $42 million and $33 million. Annual cumulative transaction values have routinely exceeded $200 million.
  • Represents a publicly traded global hospitality and entertainment company in significant real estate-based transactions in the Central Florida tourist corridor, including acquisitions (for development and wetland mitigation), sales (for residential, hospitality, retail and commercial development), development, master covenants and leasing matters. Transactions range from one-off projects to master planned residential communities and commercial developments. Certain significant individual purchase and sale transactions have values of $48 million, $11 million and $7 million.
  • Represents a privately owned agriculture interest in real estate matters in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, including acquisition, disposition, leasing and operation of farms, green houses, packing houses, office space, solar fields, residential real estate and other real estate interests. Solar transactions have included option agreements with solar development companies for the development of solar fields on farmland owned by the client.
  • Represents an international logistics company and its subsidiaries in industrial tenant leasing matters throughout the U.S. Leased premises routinely range from 100,000 to 200,000 rentable square feet.
  • Served as lead counsel to the master developer of an 11,000-acre development of regional impact in real estate matters including planning and development, land and lot sales to builders and home buyers, leasing transactions related to the community marketplace, homeowners' association matters, golf course operations, and negotiations with various governmental entities. Handled all legal aspects of the client’s disposition of the development, including land and operations, to a private equity fund.
  • Represents various individual investors in the acquisition, disposition, leasing and operation of real estate-based assets including industrial, retail and office properties.
  • Represents an international hospitality company and assisted with its entry into the U.S. marketplace and expansion of its U.S. based operations, including the acquisition of distressed short-term rental projects in the Central Florida tourist corridor and the development, operation, permitting, sale, and rental of short-term rental townhome units. Also coordinates non-real estate based legal services for the client including corporate, labor and employment, litigation, immigration, and tax legal services.
  • Represents a publicly traded energy company in ground leases for the installation and operation of turbines at industrial facilities.
  • Represents a privately owned custom home builder in the building and sale of multimillion-dollar homes. Also coordinates non-real estate based legal services for the client including corporate, labor and employment, and tax legal services.
  • Represents a privately owned real estate brokerage company and its principals in matters related to joint venture, consulting and other real estate based transactions and opportunities.
  • Represents a family owned business in various real estate sales, acquisition, development, leasing and operation matters, including assemblage and redevelopment transactions. Work for this client has included numerous 1031 transactions as the client transitions from agricultural operations to commercial real estate.
  • Serves as local counsel to numerous clients in multi-state transactions involving Florida real estate and financing transactions.
  • Represented an international hotel and gaming brand in various licensing and development matters in the U.S. and around the world.
  • Represented a junior anchor retail tenant in leasing matters during a significant expansion of its geographic footprint in transactions across the U.S.
  • Represented a client in the acquisition and sale of gas station sites.
  • Served as lead counsel to a private foundation in the development of affordable housing.
  • Represented a bankrupt timeshare development company in the disposition of real estate assets in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands pursuant to a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization.
  • Represented a private college in the acquisition of an apartment complex that was undergoing significant redevelopment and refurbishment for student housing.
  • Assists and has assisted numerous clients in the creation, licensing and operation of property and rental management programs for short-term rental communities and condominium hotels.
  • Represents and has represented numerous office, commercial, industrial, retail and restaurant tenants in leasing matters throughout the U.S.
  • Assists and has assisted numerous clients in the acquisition and sale of interests and access rights in and to oil, gas, minerals and other subsurface interests.
  • Assists and has assisted numerous clients in financing transactions, with particular emphasis on reducing documentary stamp tax and intangible tax liabilities.
  • Assists and has assisted numerous clients with alcoholic beverage licensing matters involving the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
  • Represents and has represented various national home builders, developers, investors, and recreational users in the acquisition and sale of land throughout Florida and the U.S.
  • Represented various owners of office buildings in the downtown Orlando CBD in leasing matters.
  • Represented landlords and tenants in residential lease transactions for multimillion-dollar residential properties where monthly rent exceeds $60,000 per month. Represented the owner of certain of such properties in the sale of the same for $19 million and $5.5 million.
  • Represents and has represented numerous clients in access, ingress, egress, utility, drainage, conservation and other easement matters.
  • Assisted numerous clients in obtaining and modifying submerged lands leases with the State of Florida.
  • Represented numerous clients in the formation and operation of residential and commercial condominium projects, specifically including hotel condominium projects.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • Chambers USA: Real Estate in Florida (2022 to 2023)
    • Up and Coming (2022 to 2023)
  • The Best Lawyers in America® (2014 to Present)
    • Florida: Real Estate
  • Orlando Magazine: Best Lawyers (2015 to present)
  • Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent

Memberships

  • Florida Bar Association: Real Property, Probate and Trust Section
  • NAIOP (Real Estate Development Association)
  • Coastal Conservation Association of Florida

Community

  • NAIOP
    • Central Florida Chapter
      • Board of Directors
      • Public Affairs Committee: Past Chair
      • Program Committee: Past Co-Chair
    • Florida Board: Past Member
  • Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, Orlando Chapter, Banquet Committee: Past Chair

Admissions

  • Florida, 2004

Education

  • J.D., Stetson University College of Law, 2004, magna cum laude; Senior Associate Member, Stetson Law Review; Dean's Fellow; Phi Delta Phi Legal Honors Fraternity and Business Law Society; Book Awards: Admiralty, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Law of Financial Institutions
  • B.S.B.A., Samford University, 2001