Stephen M. Schott – For over two decades, Stephen has served as a trusted legal and business advisor to local and national investors and companies of all sizes on projects throughout the country. He counsels and guides his clients on their formation, growth, strategic transitions and varied legal needs. Stephen, through his prior law firm, The Schott Law Firm, LLC, acted as outside general counsel for over 10 years to several clients including separate St. Louis and Chicago-based, large private equity funds, which specialized in single tenant, net lease transactions including build-to-suit, sale/lease back and development projects. Prior to forming The Schott Law Firm, Stephen was the general counsel for a regional real estate development company in St. Louis, Missouri. Stephen started his legal career at Husch & Eppenberger, LLC (currently Husch Blackwell LLP) in St. Louis, Missouri where he was elected partner after seven years as a member of Husch’s Land Use Development and Financing Practice Group.
With more than 20 years of experience in advising clients in different industries, Stephen concentrates his practice on private equity transactions, all aspects of real estate transactions including financing, development, zoning, public finance and leasing transactions, joint venture agreements, business combinations and acquisitions, construction matters and general corporate transactions and governance matters. He possesses a deep understanding of private equity fund structures, various joint venture arrangements and structured real estate transactions. Having acted as in-house and outside general counsel, Stephen brings a unique and business-oriented perspective to his legal advice and counsel. In the past five-year period, he has closed over $2 billion of real estate acquisitions, financings, development projects and corporate and business transactions.
Education:
J.D., with honors, Saint Louis University
Duke University
Garrick R. Hamilton – Garrick has practiced real estate law and served as a real estate executive for 20 years, including as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of The Koman Group and KDG Real Estate, major developers and investors in Class A office, multi-family, student housing and retail assets in St. Louis and the Midwest. Throughout his career, Garrick has personally handled all legal and executive oversight of all aspects of real estate acquisition, development, construction, operation and divestiture including structuring significant commercial development and redevelopment projects involving complex economic financing packages, including tax increment financing, State and Federal Historic and New Market tax credits, Community Improvement and Transportation Development Districts, tax abatement and infrastructure development tax credits.
Garrick has served as the President of the Missouri Growth Association, a commercial real estate political advocacy group, from 2013 to 2016, and real estate counsel to Pedal the Cause, a nonprofit initiative founded by the Bill and Amy Koman Foundation raising funds and awareness for cancer research and patient care in St. Louis and San Diego. Garrick was appointed in 2019 by Missouri Governor Michael Parson to serve on the Missouri Housing Development Commission, alongside the Governor and Missouri’s Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and State Treasurer, to oversee a $2 billion state-sponsored affordable housing and low-income housing tax credit portfolio. He also serves as Assistant Treasurer and Board Member for the Central Institute for the Deaf and previously as Treasurer and Board Member for the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District.
Education:
J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Woolsack, Saint Louis University
B.S. in Political Science, cum laude, Truman State University
Community Affiliations:
Commissioner, Missouri Housing Development Commission
Assistant Treasurer, Central Institute for the Deaf
Schott Hamilton 