Christopher Engel

Christopher Engel focuses his legal practice in all aspects of real estate transactions and land use.  Mr. Engel represents and advises developers, landlords, tenants, banks, municipalities, health care providers, and a variety of private sector businesses in the acquisition, disposition, financing, zoning, operation, and management of real estate. He also has experience advising clients in wireless communication transactions, complex joint venture agreements, and public-private partnerships for real estate development and redevelopment.

In addition to his real estate and land use practice, Christopher works with a variety of private sector businesses on entity formation, corporate governance issues, mergers and acquisitions transactions, contract drafting and negotiation, and other general corporate matters.

A native of Zionsville, Indiana, Christopher is a life-long Hoosier. He earned degrees in finance and political science from Indiana University in 2008 before earning his J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2012.

Representative Experience

• Counsel to a real estate developer in the acquisition, development, and financing of an office building in Carmel, Indiana
• Counsel to a real estate developer in the acquisition and financing of an apartment complex in Lexington, Kentucky
• Counsel to a healthcare provider in the acquisition, development, financing, and reverse IRC § 1031 exchange planning of a medical office building in Fishers, Indiana
• Counsel to a real estate developer in the acquisition, development, and financing of a market rate senior housing community in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Counsel to a real estate developer in the negotiation of a public-private partnership for the redevelopment of real estate in Carmel, Indiana
• Drafted and negotiated numerous commercial, industrial, and office leases on behalf of landlords and tenants
• Representative M&A transactions include the sale and purchase of a technology company, insurance brokerage, car dealership, ambulance company, and tool & die company
• Drafted and negotiated leases, amendments, easements, and other industry-specific legal agreements as outside real estate counsel for a Fortune 20 wireless communications company

Presentations & Events

• Panelist, "2020 Vision Going Forward: How to See Yourself Through This," Indiana State Bar Association Webinar, May 2020
• Top-10 Contract Drafting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, Downtown Indianapolis CLE (Nov. 2018)
• Top-10 Contract Drafting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, Indianapolis Bar Association (Oct. 2017)
• Brewery & Distillery Business Entity Selection & Formation, National Business Institute (June 2017)
• What Every Lawyer Needs to Know About LLC Operating Agreements, Indianapolis Bar Association (Oct. 2016)

Publications

• Revisiting the Value Added Tax: A Clear Solution to the Murky United States Corporate Tax Structure, 22 Ind. Int’l & Corp. L. Rev. 347 (2012)

Professional Associations

• Urban Land Institute (2018 – Present)
• Indianapolis Bar Association (2012 – Present)
  • Business Section Executive Committee Member (2016 – 2018) and Chair (2018)
  • Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee Member (2017 – 2018)
• Indiana Bar Association (2012 – Present)

Community Service

Marion County Commission on Youth (2014 – 2018)

• Board Member and Secretary
• Finance Committee Member

Education

• J.D., Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2012
  
  • Indiana International & Comparative Law Review (2010-2012)
  • Curtis E. Shirley Tax Award Recipient (2011)
• B.S. in Business Finance, with Distinction, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 2008
• B.A. in Political Science, with High Distinction, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 2008

Bar & Court Admissions

• Indiana (2012)

Practices

• Real Estate Services
• Business Services

Industries

• Real Estate