Stites & Harbison, PLLC

Jim Williamson is a Member of the firm based in its Louisville office. Licensed in Kentucky and Indiana, Jim focuses his practice on real estate, lending, CMBS servicing, credit enhancements and the acquisition and development of public project sites. His primary emphasis is on real estate financing transactions and enforcement matters for CMBS master and special servicers, land acquisition, and eminent domain.

He also has served as a member of the firm's conduit loan service group, which closes loans for conduit lenders including JPMorgan Mortgage Capital, in virtually all states. He is also active in taxable and tax-exempt financings, including credit enhancements.

Mr. Williamson has been with Stites & Harbison since 1978, and has served on the firm's Management Committee and chaired its Finance Committee.

Recent Assignments

• Lead counsel for leading CMBS master and special servicers in loan modifications, enforcement and workout agreements in a modification, multi-state basis involving hotel and convention center properties, apartment complexes and condominiums, shopping centers and industrial properties
• Served as lead counsel for Indiana American Water Company's multi-phased land and easement acquisition project for the construction of new water mains, plant facilities and well site development in Southern Indiana, including condemnation of right of way easements
• Co-counsel for the $1 billion Louisville Airport Improvement Program to expand Standiford Field for which he structured and oversaw the legal aspects of commercial land acquisition, aviation easement acquisition and business relocation programs and Federal grant financing compliance and oversight
• Lead counsel for the Waterfront Development Corporation's acquisition and relocation of major business properties and right-of-way acquisition for the $100 million Louisville Waterfront Park and development of Slugger Field Triple A baseball stadium
• Has served in a number of construction, development and related financing transactions for banks and institutional lenders in multi-state transactions; industrial site acquisitions and plant development companies in Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Michigan; and, low and moderate income housing development and tax credit financing projects in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee

Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications

Topics on which Mr. Williamson has lectured or written include First Amendment Rights at Airports for the Auburn University School of Engineering, real estate and mortgage foreclosure services for the University of Louisville School of Law, legal issues for financial institutions for the University of Kentucky College of Law, and acquisition and relocation procedures in Federal and Federally assisted projects for the National Business Institute, and the Federal Aviation Administration.  He has also co-authored "Kentucky Construction Law" (HLK Global Communications, Inc.) and "Deskbook Guide to Receivership and Foreclosure" (Trigild, Inc.).

More than Stites & Harbison

Mr. Williamson is a member of Christ Church United Methodist in Louisville. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Louisville YMCA, where he is a past chair of the Camp Piomingo Board of Managers and recipient of the outstanding Volunteer Award for 2002. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Southern Indiana Economic Development Council, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Louisville Bach Society, as a member of the Crescent Hill Athletic Association and the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee.

Besides Stites & Harbison

Jim and his wife, Patty, reside in Louisville and have two sons: Justin, an attorney in New York, and Lance, a student at Bellarmine University. His other passions include golf, fly fishing and a good book.