Francis X. "Butch" Miller

314-615-6288 (Office)
314-261-2888 (Fax)

VCard

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Areas of Practice:

Business Formation and Development

Business Services

Commercial Transactions

Corporate Law

Economic Development and Public Finance

Hospitality and Leisure

Real Estate Law

Bar Admissions and Professional Affiliations:

American Bar Association

The Missouri Bar

Illinois State Bar Association

Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Education:

J.D., Saint Louis University School of Law, cum laude

Associate Editor, The Public Law Review, 1997-1998

B.S., Business Administration, University of Missouri – St. Louis

Mr. Miller concentrates his practice in the areas of Real Estate Law and General Business/Corporate Law.

Mr. Miller represents companies of various sizes on matters ranging from entrepreneurial business start-ups to acquisition, financing and disposition of assets, to reviewing, drafting and negotiating agreements such as supply contracts and consulting agreements.  He also advises clients in connection with corporate governance and compliance matters and assists in the purchase and sale of small businesses.

His practice includes advising developers, purchasers and sellers in all aspects of the acquisition, development, construction, and financing of all varieties of real estate.  He frequently represents clients in title and survey disputes, and assists clients with purchase and sale contracts, seller take-back financing, 1031 exchanges, commercial leasing and other means of property disposition.  Mr. Miller also advises lenders and borrowers with respect to matters of real estate finance, including construction loans, permanent financing, loan workouts and sales of distressed properties.

In addition to his real estate and governmental law practice, Mr. Miller often assists clients with general contract law, formation of limited liability companies, operating agreements and other general business matters.  Mr. Miller prides himself on taking an active interest in learning about clients’ businesses so that he can help anticipate legal issues and provide better-focused and more personalized advice to clients.

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Miller worked in economic development and urban redevelopment, which has given him a unique perspective in assisting clients seeking to use innovative development tools such as complex development agreements, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), Transportation Development Districts (TDDs), and sales tax rebate agreements. Similarly, he regularly advises clients with respect to local government issues, such as land use, zoning variances and municipal boundary adjustment (annexation) issues.  Mr. Miller also represents subdivision trustees and associations in matters involving the enforcement, interpretation and revision of subdivision indentures, and he also handles a variety of real estate property tax matters, including valuation appeals, tax abatement and tax exemption projects.

Representative Client Engagements Include:

• Development of medical office campuses, from acquisition of farm land, through assembly of capital investment, construction of improvements, negotiation of construction financing, leasing, and sale of stabilized property.
• Represented buyers and sellers of various small businesses through asset purchases and stock deals, as well as related real estate, business and employment matters.
• Development of a 680,000 s.f. super-regional shopping center, from the acquisition of farm land, through assembly of capital investment, construction of improvements, negotiation of construction financing, negotiation of public subsidies.
• Extensive experience negotiating and interpreting easement agreements.
• Formation of Tenant-In-Common structures for 1031 “like kind exchange” deals.
• Assisted many clients in negotiating acceptable resolutions of disputes without resorting to litigation.
• Negotiated hundreds of leases for all varieties of properties.
• Represented owner/operators of gasoline stations/convenience stores in connection with real estate, supplier contracts and other important business agreements.

Published Works

• Practical Aspects of Annexation, written for “Land Use Law: Current Issues in Subdivision, Annexation and Zoning (March 2009)
• Real Estate Purchase and Sale Transactions-How to Do Them Right, written for Sterling Education Service Seminar, Co-Author (April 2004)