Robert Brinkley brings more than 35 years of transactional experience to help clients “see around corners” and identify and solve challenges early in a project’s lifecycle. This experience, along with his dedication to client service and communication, helps Robert achieve his goal of being a practical, value-add counselor to his clients.
Robert’s clients include national, regional and local real estate developers; real estate corporate service providers; public and private corporate end-users of facilities of all sizes and functions; and investors, lenders and borrowers. Robert’s experience spans a broad range of real estate and corporate transactions, including those involving his client’s most mission-critical facilities and largest employment centers. His varied and deep real estate sector experience also covers multifamily development (including affordable housing), office and industrial parks and mixed use projects involving complex restrictive covenants and amenity-sharing and cost-sharing components. Robert has extensive experience in public-private partnerships and in the development and leasing of large industrial facilities, including tech and data center operation centers, and financial services facilities. His client work often involves entity selections/formations and strategic business operational decisions.
Robert has chaired the Real Property Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, the Board of Trustees of East Carolina University (a public university with more than 28,000 students) and committees of the local Chamber of Commerce, his church and the boards of active social service organizations. Robert’s demonstrated leadership abilities and experience often play a critical role in his successful representation of his clients.
Representative Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Representation of the North American subsidiary of one of the world’s largest automotive companies in its acquisition of more than 1,873 acres (a NC “MegaSite”) for the development of an EV battery plant expected to include an investment of approximately $14 Billion and to create 5,000 jobs. At full production, the plant is expected to become the largest single economic development project commitment in North Carolina history. Management of the project included land use, land assemblage, development/construction, and public-private investments.
- Representation of a large, regional nonprofit organization in the relocation of its headquarters to uptown Charlotte, including the sublease and direct lease of office space, local and state economic incentives and media rights agreements.
- Representation of a local government entity in North Carolina in a public-private venture with national and local private developers for the planned redevelopment of parts of two city blocks for a mixed use, multiyear development project expected to involve the investment of $683 Million and the construction of two hotels, multiple office buildings, a residential condo building, multiple apartment buildings, retail space and a new public park.
- Representation of a North Carolina-based affordable housing developer in the development of several affordable and workforce housing communities in Wake County, involving site acquisitions, limited partnership formations and financings from bonds, LIHTC credits/investments and construction and permanent financings
- Representation of Charlotte-based regional developer with respect to its acquisition, financing and development of a Wilmington, North Carolina apartment community as part of a larger mixed-use development.
- Representation of two national companies (one US-based and one UK-based) in their leasing of facilities throughout the United States.
- Representation of regional real estate services company in a series of roll-up acquisitions to establish and grow the company’s presence and senior staff in North Carolina.
- Representation of national developer in the acquisition, financing and development of two urban multi-family projects in North Carolina, including multiple joint venture/LLC structures, preferred equity/mezzanine financing, senior construction financing with condominium and mixed use components.
- Representation of a development joint venture in the acquisition, development, financing and leasing of multiple blocks of Charlotte uptown properties as a 1,000,000+ square foot mixed-use project.
- Representation of a Fortune 200 company in consolidating and relocating its shared services division to Charlotte.
- Representation of regional developer in the acquisition, financing and extensive renovation and redevelopment of a Charleston-area apartment community, as part of a mixed use development.
Professional & Civic Engagement
- Advisory Board Member, Childress Klein Center of Real Estate (UNCC)
- Member and Committee Member, CoreNet of the Carolinas
- Prior Member and Board of Trustees, Vice Chair, Providence Day School
- Prior Member, Governing Board, Carolina Thread Trail
- Former Member, Steering Committee, East Carolina University Baseball Stadium
- Member and Past Chair, Real Property Section, North Carolina Bar Association
- Former Member, Land Use Committee, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
- Past Chair, Land Use Committee, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
- Member, East Carolina University, Board of Trustees, 2007-2015, Chairman, 2013-2015, Vice Chair, 2012-2013
- Former Member, Board of Directors, Former Chair, Development Committee, East Carolina University Foundation
- Former Member, Board of Law Visitors, Wake Forest Law School
- Active Member and former Deacon and Committee Chair, First Presbyterian Church, Charlotte
Honors and Awards
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings) in the fields of Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Finance Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law, 1995 – Present
- East Carolina University, 2019 Virgil Clark ’50 Distinguished Service Award, 2019
- Recognized in Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite, 2013
- Chosen as one of the Best Lawyers in Charlotte by peers and listed in Charlotte Magazine
- East Carolina University Foundation, Advancement Award, 2009
