Karen L. Karr is a member of BrownWinick, practicing primarily in real estate law. Karen currently is chair of the firm's Real Estate practice group. Her practice focuses on commercial development projects and real estate matters unique to large business transactions. Karen is experienced with assisting clients with the negotiation and drafting of complex real estate asset purchase agreements and representation in residential and commercial transactions that relate to the leasing, financing, sale and acquisition of real estate, easement negotiations, platting and site approval, closings, zoning and title examinations.
Karen graduated from the University of Iowa, with distinction, in 2003, receiving her B.A. in Communication Studies; Journalism & Mass Communication and a Certificate of Entrepreneurship. She received her J.D. in 2008, with honors, from Drake University. While at Drake University, Karen was a member of the Delta Theta Phi law fraternity and a Junior Staff Member and Associate Editor of the Drake Law Review. Karen was a member of the Drake Moot Court Board and competed on its 2008 Client Counseling Team. She was inducted in the Order of the Barristers in 2008.
Karen was named to the Best Lawyers® list in the area of real estate law and listed as a "rising star" in Super Lawyers® in the area of real estate.
Karen is a member of the Polk County, Iowa State (Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the Young Lawyers Division) and the American Bar Association, a member of the Polk County Women Attorneys and the Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys. She is on the Board for the Operation Downtown and on the Board for Community Youth Concepts, serving on the Capital Campaign Committee and Mentor Program. Karen is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Class of 2014-2015 and was named as an honoree to the Business Record's 2017 Class of Forty Under 40. Karen was admitted to the Iowa bar in 2008.
Representative Transactions
Representation of real estate development group with respect to a multi-phase, multi-use (including retail and residential rental units and parking structure) development. Specific representation to date has included corporate organization and negotiation of design, construction, development and sale leaseback agreements and counsel with respect to tax credit financing and a sale leaseback arrangement with a governmental agency.
Representation of real estate developer with respect to a multi-phase, multi-use (including student housing and commercial office and classroom space) development. Specific representation to date has included negotiations of purchase and development agreements and ground and office leases and counsel with respect to acquisition of ground from a governmental agency, leasehold collateralization and governmental economic incentives.
Representation of real estate development group with respect to a multi-use (including retail and residential rental units) development. Specific representation to date has included corporate organization and negotiation of design, construction, development and purchase agreements and counsel with respect to title matters, and tax credit financing and application and appeal therefor.
*Past results are reported to provide the reader with an indication of the type of litigation in which we practice and do not and should not be construed to create an expectation of result in any other case as all cases are dependent upon their own unique fact situation and applicable law.
Memberships/Associations
- Polk County Bar Association
Member
- Iowa State Bar Association
Member; Sections on: Business Law; Corporate Counsel; Real Estate and Title Law
Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee (Young Lawyers Division)
- American Bar Association
Member; Sections on: Business Law; Real Property, Probate & Trust Law; Young Lawyers Division
- Polk County Women Attorneys
Member; President (January, 2013 - January, 2014)
- Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys
Member
- Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute
Graduate Class of 2014-2015
- Greater Des Moines Partnership
Development Council
- Community Youth Concepts
Member; Capital Campaign Committee; Mentor Program
- Downtown Community Alliance
Operation Downtown Board of Directors
- Drake Law Review
- Junior Staff, 2006-2007; Editorial Board/Associate Editor, 2007-2008
- Moot Court Board
Member, 2007-2008
- Order of the Barristers, 2008
- Delta Theta Phi
Publications
- Iowa Human Resources Manual 2013
Additional contributor with editor Elizabeth Coonan
- Iowa Human Resources Manual 2012
Additional contributor with editor Elizabeth Coonan
- Co-authored, 'Generation X:eXpensive, eXtensive XBRL Reporting Requirements"
Biodiesel Magazine (November 2010)
- Iowa Human Resources Manual 2010 and 2011
Additional contributor with co-editors Danielle Smid and Elizabeth Coonan
- Co-authored (with Ronni F. Begleiter), "Varnum v. Brien"
The Legal Monitor (June 2009)