Phone: (816) 460–1821

Apartment complexes, warehouses, and commercial, industrial and retail developments across the United States bear Scott’s fingerprints.Scott walks alongside clients through every facet of property ownership, including purchasing, development and zoning approvals, conventional and bond financing, incentives, management and leasing. Having worked for more than 35 years with municipalities, public agencies and some of the largest developers and lenders in the country, Scott expedites the development process for both new and repurposed properties.

“I’m often hired to help clients buy and develop “problem” pieces of real estate.” “These properties might be contaminated or difficult to redevelop because they involve restrictive uses, transportation lines, easements or challenges with zoning and development.”

Clients who work with Scott also get access to his deep experience with incentives and real estate tax issues. Having handled such work in more than 25 states, he helps clients understand and manage the tax implications that are part of any property sale or purchase.

While major developers are among Scott’s clients, he is equally proud to advise small enterprises.

“It’s rewarding and fun to help smaller developers establish a firm foundation and continue working with them as they grow and become increasingly successful.” He continues as legal counsel to one longtime client from startup to more than 1,100 employees today.

Regardless of client’s size, “It’s always interesting to work with proactive, ambitious people who want to accomplish something positive. Most of our projects are winners. I’m proud to lead a national real estate and financing legal practice from a small shop in Kansas City, Missouri. Our rates are lower than those of national law firms, and we provide superior service with deep knowledge and experience.”

Career Achievements

Legal Counsel for hundreds of complex development and redevelopment projects.

Development and tax abatement of the American Food Products headquarters in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

Development, vertical plating, super TIF and financing of the Omni/Doubletree Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.

Development of the Waddell & Reed Park in Overland Park, Kansas

.Served as legal counsel for the first private entity to buy property out of the Racer Trust.

Served as legal counsel for more than 40 low-income housing tax credit projects.

Certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Professional, 2008.

Assisted in development of more than 10 historic tax credit projects.

Received Pro Bono Publico Award, The Missouri Bar Association, 1996.

Activities

Member, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, since 1983
Past chairman, Volunteer Attorney Project

Member, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, since 1983

Member, American Bar Association, since 1983
Sections on Taxation and Real Estate

Member, Missouri Bar Association, since 1983
Sections on Taxation and Real Estate

Member, Kansas Bar Association, since 2008

Member, New Mexico Bar Association, since 2018

Director and past president, The Ronald McDonald House Charities

Past Board Member, Swope Parkway Health Center

Board Member, The Bar Plan Foundation

Co-founder and past director, Dystonia Foundation

Volunteer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City, since 1997

Graduate, Centurions, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, 1988

Director and past president, Northland Early Education Center, 1998-2005

Regional Cabinet, Chair of Regional Campaign, Washington University, since 2002

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Junior Warden; Human Resources and Finance Committees; Director, Community Garden, since 2008

Member, Sigma Phi Epsilon

Published Works/ Presentations

Author, “Timeless Matters: Anti-Competition Restrictions in Real Property Deeds,” Missouri Bar Journal, Fall 2007

Author, “Buying a Business: The Most Often Overlooked Tax Peril,”Journal of the Missouri Bar, Volume 52, No. 1, 1996

Presenter, title insurance agent topics covering real estate transactions and zoning and use laws, Missouri Bar and Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

Presenter, the new ALTA title insurance forms, area banks

Education

J.D., Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, MO, 1983

B.S., Mathematics, Washburn University, Topeka, Kan., 1980

Honors

Legal Leader, The Daily Record, 2009

Boss of the Year, Kansas City Legal Secretaries Association, 2000-2001

Distinguished Leadership Award, National Association of Civic Leadership Organizations, 1990

Bernard D. Powell Award, Centurions, 1989

Bar Admissions

Kansas, 2008

Missouri, 1983

New Mexico, 2018

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, 1983

U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri, 1989

U.S. Federal Courts, 1983

U.S. Tax Court, 1983