W. Leighton Lord III

Leighton Lord practices in the areas of corporate, partnership, economic development and real estate law with special emphasis in real estate finance, real estate and economic development, commercial leasing and state land sale registrations.

Mr. Lord is chairman of the board for Nexsen Pruet. In this leadership position Mr. Lord is responsible for shaping the firm's strategy and vision.

Prior to joining Nexsen Pruet, Mr. Lord clerked for the prestigious Delaware Chancery Court before practicing corporate litigation in Wilmington, Delaware. Mr. Lord also served for three years as staff counsel to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

Mr. Lord is a contributing author of "Protecting the Land: Conservation Easements Past, Present and Future." He received his law degree from Vanderbilt University, with honors.

• Best Lawyers in America
• Delaware Chancery Court - Law Clerk
• U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations - Staff Counsel
• Liberty Fellow
• Heathwood Hall Episcopal School - Board of Trustees, Chair
• Palmetto Club - Board of Governors

• Lead real estate counsel for international manufacturer in simultaneous siting of two facilities each having a value of over $200,000,000.00
• Lead counsel in the structuring and development of over 25 multifamily projects in the Southeast, including Ridenour in Cobb County, Georgia and Park Road, in Charlotte, North Carolina
• Lead counsel in the structuring and development of over 15 condominium projects including the $75,000,000.00 Renaissance in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
• Lead counsel for regional trucking company in the acquisition and development of service centers throughout the Southeast, including recent centers in Charleston, South Carolina, Chattanooga, Tennessee and Raleigh, North Carolina
• Currently represent more than 50 resort developers in their state land sale registrations
• Represented buyers of retail centers including the recent acquisition of Thornblade Center in Greenville, South Carolina
• South and North Carolina counsel on major multi-state acquisition and financing transactions including that of Outback Steakhouse and Extended Stay America
• Drafted and negotiated major leases in medical office, downtown office building  and retail projects

• Nexsen Pruet Among 250 Largest U.S. Law Firms
  The National Law Journal has listed Nexsen Pruet as one of the 250 largest law firms in the country. This is the publication’s 31st annual survey.
• Nexsen Pruet Creates Distressed Property and Workout Practice Group
  The new group will provide clients the necessary resources, skills, and expertise needed to navigate issues that emerge during periods of economic and financial uncertainty.
• 45 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers
  Columbia, SC – Forty-five Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The publication also ranks Nexsen Pruet #1 in eleven practice areas in South Carolina and three in North Carolina.
• Tribuddies Dream is Realized
  Columbia, SC – A lawyer’s dream of a program to help deserving kids is now reality. Tribuddies is helping children in the Midlands to build character, confidence, and spirit. Through the new program, “Bigs” and “Littles” from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia are paired with coaches to train for triathlons.
• Nexsen Pruet Named Among Top Economic Development Law Firms in the Southeast
  Southern Business & Development magazine has named Nexsen Pruet one of the top law firms for economic development in the South – and the only one recognized in South Carolina.
• Video Produced for Innoventure 2008
  Learn more about Nexsen Pruet from our video for InnoVenture - a conference bringing together entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
• Leighton Lord and Neil Robinson Nominated to Founding Class of ULI South Carolina Center For Sustainable Leadership
  Columbia, SC - Nexsen Pruet’s Leighton Lord and Neil Robinson have been nominated as founding class members of the Urban Land Institute South Carolina Center for Sustainable Leadership.
• Leighton Lord to Chair Midlands Section of Urban Land Institute
  W. Leighton Lord III, Chairman of the Board of Nexsen Pruet, has been elected Chair of the Midlands section of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and will serve on the organization’s statewide executive committee.
• Nexsen Pruet Honored by S.C. Bar Foundation for Lifetime "Philanthropic Leadership"
  The South Carolina Bar Foundation passed a resolution honoring Nexsen Pruet for its “unwavering dedication” and “philanthropic leadership” in support of the Foundation’s efforts to promote justice and enhance the legal profession.
• Leighton Lord Chosen For Liberty Fellowship's Class Of 2008
  W. Leighton Lord III, chairman of the board of Nexsen Pruet, has been chosen for the 2008 class of the Liberty Fellowship, a statewide leadership initiative.
• Leighton Lord Elected Chairman of Nexsen Pruet
  The Members of Nexsen Pruet, LLC have elected W. Leighton Lord III as the firm’s chairman of the board.

• Top 10 Law Firms that Understand Economic Development
  Nexsen Pruet is named among the top law firms in the Southeast for economic development - and is the only law firm listed in South Carolina.
• Commercial Leases: A Company's Most Important Contract
  Many companies today do not give their leases the same respect they give commercial contracts. The problem is that most leases are far more important than the majority of contracts the company enters into. This article will attempt to address some of the basics of understanding and negotiating a commercial lease on behalf of a tenant. While many companies may be landlords, typically a company is a tenant. That being said, the issues raised in this article are of equal interest to a landlord.
• What You Need to Know About State Land Sale Regulations
• David v. Goliath - Negotiating a commercial lease on behalf of the tenant