News

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10 Nov 2008

DLA Piper’s Philip Weller elected President of ACREL

Weller to Become Fourth DLA Piper Attorney to Serve as President

Press Release

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(Dallas) – DLA Piper today announced that Philip Weller, managing partner of the firm’s Dallas office, was elected president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) by its Board of Governors. Weller is the fourth DLA Piper attorney to be elected president of ACREL, joining Alan Wayte, Caryl Welborn and Portia Morrison, who have all held the honor.

ACREL is a highly respected organization of US real estate lawyers. Admission as a member is by invitation only after a rigorous screening process. ACREL's distinguished, nationally-known lawyers have been elected to fellowship for their outstanding legal ability, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of real estate law. With 25 members, DLA Piper has the largest ACREL representation of any law firm.

“We are very proud of Phil on his election to serve as the president of ACREL,” said Jay Epstien, chair of DLA Piper’s US Real Estate practice. “Over the course of his career, he has long been recognized as one of the finest lawyers in the state and a leading real estate practitioner countrywide. His extensive experience in so many aspects of the real estate industry makes him distinctly qualified for this position."

Weller focuses his practice on real estate acquisitions, dispositions, finance, development, general finance transactions, and private equity transactions. Since establishing his practice in 1975, he has been involved in structuring equity investments, forming real estate investment trusts (REITs), financings, development, acquisitions and dispositions of office, retail, industrial, and multi-family properties, planned community development, project finance and mortgage finance.

Weller has represented equity investors, sponsors, developers, interim lenders and long-term debt providers. Lending clients include banks, REITs and insurance companies.

Weller is also a member of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, the Anglo-American Real Property Institute, and the Urban Land Institute. He is a frequent lecturer at ACREL and the International Council for Shopping Centers and co-chairs the annual ALI-ABA Modern Real Estate Transactions program. In 2008, the State Bar of Texas appointed Weller chair of its standing committee on real estate forms, an appointment that runs from July 2008 to June 2009.

He earned a J.D., with highest honors, from Bates College of Law, and a B.S., summa cum laude, from Bowling Green State University.