Kartik Singapura

Litigation

Kartik is a trial lawyer for the real estate industry. Kartik’s meticulous preparation, creativity and ability to connect with his audience have produced a track record of courtroom success and earned him recognition from the industry’s leading publications, such as Chambers USA and Benchmark Litigation.

Kartik is a fearless competitor who loves the courtroom and tries cases to win. His clients span the institutional and entrepreneurial spectrum of the real estate industry, and his trial practice covers nearly any commercial dispute that may arise during the full life cycle of their ventures — from entitlements and development rights through operations, distributions and dispositions. His reputation for building creative, purposeful strategies has earned him the privilege of leading trial teams in high-stakes cases in Texas and beyond, including the following recent and ongoing engagements:

Representing a Texas real estate developer before the Texas Business Courts in a multimillion-dollar partnership and ownership dispute over a $60 million multifamily development project.

Defended a real estate investment firm at trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery in an expedited proceeding against its partner over the venture’s control and governance.

Defending one of the nation’s largest publicly traded homebuilders in the Texas Business Courts in an eight-figure contract dispute over the purchase and sale of developable lots.

Represented a publicly traded developer at trial in Texas State Court against a Texas local government and its elected officials in a complex case involving claims of statutory and constitutional violations arising from development regulations imposed on a master-planned community.

Kartik leverages his broad commercial trial experience and uncommon command of the real estate industry to build strategy from the ground up on every case — focusing on solving the client’s problems, not just answering their questions. As a result of this approach, Kartik has filed a growing number of specific performance lawsuits against local governments and their elected officials to compel approval of his clients’ projects at the outset of litigation via injunction and expedited trial settings. He has deployed this strategy with success, helping clients avoid significant financial burdens associated with the development delays that typically accompany protracted litigation.

Kartik also believes strong trial teams are built through trust, preparation and meaningful responsibility at every level. He works closely with clients and colleagues throughout each case, building collaborative teams in which strategy is clear, junior lawyers are engaged and clients are active partners in the work.

South Asian Bar Association, Member

"Navigating Federal Lease Terminations: What Office Building Owners Need to Know," Bell Nunnally Client Alert, author; March 27, 2025.

“Residential Real Estate Cases To Watch In 2024,” Law360, quoted; January 1, 2024.

Following a seven-day jury trial, obtained a $5 million judgment on behalf of a real estate investment firm against the seller of an office property for withholding salient financial information during the client’s due diligence process that inflated the $12 million contract price.

Counsel for AMLI Residential and its affiliated entities in a six-year lawsuit over the sale of a luxury apartment complex. After serving as co-trial counsel during a two-week jury trial, secured a unanimous verdict in favor of AMLI on the plaintiffs’ claims for $38 million and an award of $5.8 million in attorneys’ fees.

Defended a NY-based real estate investment firm in a Delaware Chancery Court trial against a joint venture partner seeking control of the parent company in expedited summary proceedings pursuant to 6 Del. § 18-110. After trial, the case settled on favorable monetary and non-monetary terms for the client, including retention of the parent company that was the subject of the parties’ dispute.

After a seven-day bench trial, obtained a take-nothing judgment in favor of a national real estate developer and its principal in a commercial lending dispute. The case involved repayment of a $30 million bridge loan secured by the equity commitments of tax credit investors and allegations that this security interest was cross collateralized within a complicated capital stack for historic redevelopment.

Represented a real estate investment firm in a five-day jury trial seeking to void and unwind transfers of funds between two affiliate companies under the Texas Fraudulent Transfer Act.

Trial counsel for the world’s largest privately owned business-jet service provider in a $100 million aviation wrongful death lawsuit arising out of claims that a faulty autopilot system caused the crash. Case settled on the eve of trial on very favorable defense terms.

Represented a real estate investor against one of the largest franchisee operators in the country and its principal in a breach-of-contract case involving novel issues of COVID-19 shutdowns and their corresponding impact on the appropriateness of mitigation efforts. After a bench trial, the client was awarded damages and attorneys’ fees in excess of $1.1 million.

Complete defense verdict after a ten-day jury trial in a case involving complex issues of hydrology and hydraulics, interpretation and application of restrictive covenants, and tort-based claims.

Obtained injunctive relief (TRO and TI) against the City of Dallas based on misapplication of plat regulations and lack of lawful exercise of eminent domain in an ongoing lawsuit involving the City’s attempt to construct a multimillion-dollar bond project on private property.

Secured a favorable, seven-figure settlement on behalf of a multifamily owner-operator in a coverage dispute against several syndicate carriers involving novel questions of federal jurisdiction and interpretation of a complicated, multilayered master policy.

Represented a hotel developer in an arbitration proceeding against a nationally recognized general contractor in connection with significant structural failure of a hotel and convention. On the eve of arbitration, obtained a multimillion-dollar settlement for full economic damages.

Represented a member of a company with more than $300 million in assets under management against its controlling members. The case settled after strategically negotiating a reorganization of the controlling company that provided the client with increased equity and preferred returns.

University of Houston Law Center

JD

2012

The University of Texas at Austin

BS

2008