James E.A. Slaton

Practice Areas

Finance and Lending

Real Estate

Career

James E.A. Slaton concentrates his practice on commercial real estate, construction, and finance law as well as land use and zoning matters. He counsels businesses of all sizes and individuals through transactions ranging from the highly complex financing and development of large commercial campuses to the leasing of retail space or acquisition of property for a small business owner. His real estate practice allows James to positively impact the community around him, whether it’s through the development of historic properties in the center of the city or office parks and manufacturing facilities on the outskirts.

Professional Memberships

American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) fellow.

American College of Mortgage Attorneys fellow.

American Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law (RPTE) Section member, Chair of the Commercial Real Estate Transaction Group Purchase and Sale Committee, Assistant Secretary of the Real Property Division, and former Chair of the RPTE Land Use and Zoning Group.

Center for Planning Excellence Board of Directors.

Louisiana State Bar Association member.

Baton Rouge Bar Association member.

Publications

“Navigating the Political Challenges to Sustainable Development,” author, ABA Probate & Property magazine, July/August 2012.

Louisiana Civil Practice Forms, Real Estate, 2005-present. Annually review, update and edit the real estate legal forms chapter of the West Publishing practice forms series for Louisiana.

"Storming the Castle: Surrendering the Sanctity of the Home to the Will of the Masses -- Amending Building Restrictions Under 1999 La. Acts 309," Louisiana Law Review, Vol. 60, No. 3, Spring 2000.

Experience

Represented a developer in the multi-phase development of a 72-acre mixed use site, including an office park and retail uses. Assisted the client in acquiring and assembling parcels, drafting the CCR's governing the site, negotiating a complex build-to-suit lease with a major international tenant and the sale of portions of the site to third-party developers.

Advised an international chemical company on zoning and land use matters in connection with the development of a large chemical manufacturing campus in south Louisiana.

Represented a heavy construction company in the purchase of a 60-acre industrial site for the development of a materials plant for a major market expansion.

Represented an automobile dealer in the purchase and development of two auto dealerships on 12 acres, which anchor a new phase of an adjacent shopping center development.

Represented a Canadian energy company with the development of proposed natural gas storage projects, including the acquisition of the main storage sites and corresponding pipeline and related easements, due diligence, permitting, and financing.

Represented an international oil and gas services company in the reorganization of its Louisiana facilities, including the sale and acquisition of various sites and negotiation of a lease for a 17-acre primary operations site.

Acted as local counsel to a Chicago-based hotel developer in the acquisition and $10 million redevelopment of a historic hotel property in New Orleans.

Represented a municipality in the acquisition of a large, privately-owned sewerage and water system, including numerous fee-owned parcels, servitude agreements, water wells, sewer treatment plants, and platted rights and facilities in roughly 135 subdivisions and service areas, in addition to facilities serving commercial customers.

Education

Awards