J. Kelly Bufton, who has almost 40 years of experience handling complex real estate transactions nationwide, has joined Haynes and Boone, LLP as a senior counsel in the Chicago office.
Across a range of market and geographic sectors, Bufton has handled large-scale development projects; finance transactions (on behalf of lenders and borrowers); acquisitions and dispositions; joint venture agreements and leases, among other matters.
He also has handled both sides of every kind of real estate transaction, representing sellers and buyers; landlords and tenants and developers and investors, including private equity funds and large public pension funds in various states.
“Kelly’s background has afforded him a particularly broad-based perspective on the real estate industry, which allows him to help clients consummate transactions in the most effective and efficient manner possible,” said Brack Bryant, co-chair of Haynes and Boone’s real estate practice group. “He will be a huge asset to our clients and significantly bolsters our real estate practice and our Chicago office.”
Bufton most recently was a partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP. In addition to his transactional experience, he has created form documents and how-to explanatory material for clients to use in leasing matters. He also conducts training seminars for clients to provide their managers with the context needed to most effectively implement their responsibilities.
Bufton has long been an advocate of Habitat for Humanity, providing them with pro bono counsel on acquisitions and leases and previously serving as the board president for DuPage Habitat for Humanity.
“I was attracted to Haynes and Boone because of its longstanding commitment to the real estate practice and its particular orientation towards the transactional side of the practice,” Kelly said. “I look forward to helping the firm grow that practice and its Chicago office.”
