Abe J. Schear

Partner

Direct: 404.873.8752
Fax: 404.873.8753
Atlanta
171 17th Street NW
Suite 2100
Atlanta, Georgia 30363

Biography

Abe is a partner in the Real Estate and Leasing practices, and leader of the International Business practice. He has over forty years of experience representing landlords and tenants in retail and office real estate transactions across the United States. Landlords and tenants for some of the country’s best-known brands turn to Abe for legal advice, and he helps local and regional landlords and tenants complete their transactions efficiently and effectively. Abe’s tenant clients include numerous national and local brands. His practice has a distinct focus on retail leasing requirements, including letters of intent, lease negotiations, construction requirements, and abstracting. Although lease negotiations are the focal point of his practice, Abe also assists clients in all phases of their development, including purchase and sale transactions, financing, and matter due diligence.

As a leader of the firm’s International Business practice, Abe travels extensively overseas to assist companies with their long-term strategic planning and executive needs. He is particularly helpful in connecting investors to compatible investment opportunities in the U.S. Such opportunities include various real estate platforms.

Experience

  • Represented Carter’s on their distribution facility lease of 1,000,000 square feet.

  • Represented regional and national retailers on their retail leases including Carter’s, NxStage, National Vision, Teavana, Buckle, Salsarita’s, DownEast, The Athlete’s Foot, Great American Cookie and others.

  • Represented sophisticated mixed use projects such as One Daytona (Daytona Beach, FL), LakePoint (GA), Atlantic Station (GA), Dallas Galleria and Georgia Avenue (GA).

  • Assisted Sterling Restaurants, LLC, in closing two large acquisitions, an equity capital raise and a senior debt refinancing. As a result of the transactions, Sterling Restaurants is one of the largest franchisees of Moe’s Southwest Grill. Mr. Schear led the real estate efforts on the transaction, including the negotiation of multiple lease consents.

  • Representation of landlord in negotiations with theater chains such as Regal, Carmike and Cinemark.

  • Represented numerous regional and national landlords on their leasing projects including Westfield, Carter’s, Gregory Greenfield and Associates, Trademark, CBL and others.

Credentials

  • Emory University School of Law, Juris Doctor
  • Emory University, Bachelor of Business Administration
  • State of Georgia 1976
    • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
    • International Bar Association’s Law Firm Management Committee, Co-chair, 2017-18
    • American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL)
    • American Bar Association
    • Atlanta Beltline, Member
    • Atlanta Tax Arbitration District Board, 2016-17
    • Piedmont Park Conservancy, Current Board Member
    • RealTalk: Top Atlanta Experts in Real Estate, Atlanta Business Chronicle Blog Contributor
    • National Association of Industrial and Office Professionals
    • Atlanta Urban Design Commission, 2001-05
    • Atlanta Vending Review Board, 1992-94
    • Shopping Center Business Magazine, Editorial Board
    • Public Safety and Judicial Facilities Authority for the City of Atlanta
    • American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
    • Israel Consul General’s Law Committee, Co-chair
    • Jewish National Fund (JNF), Board Member

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 2014-24
  • Who’s Who Legal: Real Estate, 2015-16, 2023
  • Jewish National Fund, Honoree, 2009, 2022
  • Georgia Super Lawyers, 2004-16
  • The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, 2014

Baseball Digest