Press Release

Bradley is pleased to announce a major expansion of its national real estate and finance practices with the addition of partners Elizabeth C. Sauer, Mary O’Kelley, Kacie McRee and John P. McGehee, counsel Kyra F. Howell, and associate Taylor P. Scott.

All six attorneys join Bradley from Baker Donelson, bringing extensive transactional experience in the real estate, banking, and healthcare industries to the firm. This highly accomplished team routinely handles all aspects of commercial real estate development and complex real estate and finance transactions, with a focus on long term care facilities and senior housing.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome these talented attorneys to Bradley,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters. “The addition of this team reflects our continued investment in the growth and expansion of the firm’s core capabilities in real estate, healthcare and banking.”

Brooks R. Smith, chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group, added, “Together, this group brings decades of experience in real estate and finance law, which makes them a significant asset to the firm and to our clients. Their understanding of long term care facilities and senior housing matters enhances our ability to serve clients in this growing area.”

Ms. Sauer advises investors, developers, managers, owner-operators, and lenders in large-scale, multi-state portfolio transactions, as well as single-asset deals. She has significant transactional experience with medical office buildings and condominiums; hospitals, outpatient clinics and surgery centers; skilled nursing facilities; assisted living facilities, memory care centers and independent living facilities; warehouse distribution centers and manufactured homes; and multifamily housing and hotels. Ms. Sauer routinely drafts and negotiates purchase and sale agreements, development agreements, ground leases, master leases and space leases, and oversees due diligence. She earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A. (with distinction) from the University of Virginia.

Ms. O’Kelley focuses her practice on long term care transactions, including financing, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions of long-term care and senior housing facilities. In particular, she represents national healthcare lenders in origination and servicing of balance sheet, bridge-to-agency and mezzanine loans. She also represents owners, operators and developers of healthcare facilities, as well as investors in other real estate asset classes. Ms. O’Kelley received her LL.M. and J.D. from Cornell University School of Law and her B.S. (cum laude) from Vanderbilt University.

Ms. McRee has a broad range of experience in real estate and corporate transactions, including representing both borrowers and lenders in real estate development transactions, commercial leasing and secured lending, as well as representing clients in corporate formations and corporate M&A. She handles long term care transactions, including financing, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions of long term care and seniors housing facilities. Ms. McRee also has particular experience related to environmental issues in connection with sales and acquisitions of real estate. She earned her J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and her B.S. (summa cum laude) from Troy University.

Mr. McGehee has extensive experience representing lenders and borrowers in HUD-insured loan transactions for multifamily and senior housing facilities and the related asset management and servicing work. He has been counsel to lenders and borrowers in hundreds of HUD-insured loans in 40+ states and to lenders and borrowers in bridge-to-agency loans throughout the country. Mr. McGehee received his J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Tennessee College of Law and his B.A. (summa cum laude) from Murray State University.

Ms. Howell practices in the areas of commercial real estate and finance transactions. Her experience includes HUD transactions, as well as primary and mezzanine lending in bridge-to-HUD and standard commercial lending transactions. She primarily concentrates on business transactions involving the financing of long term care facilities and other commercial properties. Ms. Howell handles all facets of such transactions, including drafting and negotiating loan documents, asset purchase agreements, leases and other closing documents, as well as performing related activities such as due diligence and corporate analysis. Ms. Howell received her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and her B.A. from Manhattanville College.

Ms. Scott represents clients in real estate and finance transactions, long term care transactions and commercial leasing matters. Her practice includes real estate development transactions, commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions, and loan modifications, as well as long term care transactions involving financing, leasing, dispositions, and acquisitions of long term care and senior housing facilities. Ms. Scott received her J.D. (with honors) from the University of Tennessee College of Law and her B.S. (cum laude) from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.