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Christy Pennington

Senior Counsel

Christy Pennington leverages her in-depth knowledge of today’s real estate market to guide developers, owners/landlords, and end users—including retailers, healthcare systems, industrial firms, and corporate headquarters—through complex, high-level transactions from inception to closing.

With experience in both private practice and as in-house counsel, Christy utilizes her combined legal knowledge and business acumen to assist clients in driving forward their business so they can meet goals while minimizing risk.  Christy’s experience and ability to actively listen to her clients enables her to better understand client priorities, anticipate needs, and offer practical and timely advice and counsel that her clients have come to rely on and trust.  Christy provides thoughtful, cutting-edge counsel, helping her clients traverse today’s dynamic real estate market, both in Texas and nationally.  From sophisticated ground lease transactions to large portfolio acquisitions, Christy is known as a deal maker and a “mover and a shaker.”

 

Education

Certificate in Mediation, Lipscomb University Institute of Conflict Management, 2014
J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 2003
B.B.A., Austin Peay State University, 1997

Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America® Real Estate Law (2025)

Memberships

Participant in the firm’s RISE Program (2025)

American Bar Association (Health Law and Real Estate sections), Member (2023-present)

American Health Law Association, Member (2016-2019, 2023-2025)

State Bar of Texas (Real Estate Law Section), Member (2003-present)

Dallas Bar Association (Real Property Section), Member (2003-2012; 2015-2022)

Collin County Bar Association (Real Estate Section), Member (2023-present)

Collin County Women Lawyers Association, Member (2023-present)

Commercial Real Estate Women – Dallas, Member (various-present)

Attorneys Serving the Community, Multiple Committee Positions (various-present)

Texas Women Lawyers Association, Member (2023-present)

Pro Bono Attorney for Human Rights Initiative of North Texas (2009-12)

AncoraTN (f/k/a End Slavery Tennessee) (Board Member, 2014-17)

Prosper Ladies Association, Prosper, TX (Member 2022)

Frisco Chamber of Commerce (Women Enhancing Business)

State Bar Licenses

Texas

Experience

  • Represents not-for-profit healthcare company with acquisition, disposition, leasing, and management of healthcare facilities.
  • Represents veterinary service provider in leasing clinical space across DFW.
  • Represents global retailer in the acquisition, development & disposition of land for first-class retail centers.
  • Represented international, national, and regional institutional clients in connection with the acquisition, disposition, leasing, and management of class-A office buildings and multifamily complexes.
  • Represented publicly traded and privately held healthcare systems in connection with the acquisition, divestiture, and leasing of hospitals, medical office buildings, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care facilities, and physician practices.
  • Served as lead or co-lead real estate counsel for multimillion dollar healthcare system acquisitions and divestitures; oversaw the real estate due diligence review therefor; and negotiated and drafted asset purchase agreements, purchase and sale agreements, and ancillary agreements and advise real estate executives regarding agreement interpretation.
  • Negotiated and drafted hospital, medical office building, and retail leases and related agreements for hospitals, physician practice groups, and urgent care centers and advised real estate executives regarding lease interpretation and potential violations of the Stark law and Anti-Kickback Statute.
  • Served as lead real estate counsel for the disposition of real property in bankruptcy for a national healthcare company, negotiated and drafted purchase and sale agreements and ancillary agreements, and advised real estate executives regarding agreement interpretation.
  • Developed and implemented policies, procedures, and forms for best practices in healthcare real estate lease transactions to ensure legal and regulatory compliance system-wide.
  • Served as subject matter expert in retail real estate matters and provide guidance and analysis to executives, brokers, property managers, and construction managers in alignment with legal policies and procedures and corporate goals and objectives for a private, full-service retail real estate company with a $2.3B portfolio consisting of 150+ retail projects across four states.

Articles & Presentations

  • Speaker:  Where is the Evolution of “Retailization” and the “Consumer Facing Model” of Healthcare Delivery Going, and What Does it Mean for Healthcare/MOB Real Estate?, Interface Healthcare Real Estate, Dallas, September 2018
  • Speaker/Author: The Greening of Commercial Office Leases, Landlord-Tenant Law in Texas, November 2010
  • Speaker: Tip-Toeing Through the Mitigation Minefield – Lease Termination, Advanced Real Estate Strategies, Fredericksburg, October 2010
  • Speaker/Author: The Greening of Commercial Office Leases, Houston and San Antonio, January 2010
  • Author: Green-Tinted Commercial Office Leases, Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, January 2010
  • Speaker: Legislative Update – Real Estate Law, Webinar, Austin, 2009
  • Speaker/Author: Show Your True Colors: The Greening of Commercial Office Leases, Advanced Real Estate, San Antonio, 2009
  • Speaker: Legislative Update – Real Estate, State Bar Annual Meeting, State Bar of Texas, Dallas, 2009
  • Speaker: Legislative Update – Real Estate, State Bar College “Summer School,” State Bar of Texas, Galveston, 2007
  • Speaker: Legislative Update, Real Estate Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston 2007
  • Speaker: Legislative Update – Dallas LGBT Bar, 2023
  • Co-Author: Legislative Update: Significant Bills of the 88th Texas Legislature Affecting Real Estate, Lending, and Other Commercial Matters, Real Estate Legislative Affairs Committee, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, State Bar of Texas (2023)
  • Co-Author: Legislative Update: Significant Bills of the 81st Texas Legislature Affecting Real Estate, Lending, and Other Commercial Matters, Real Estate Legislative Affairs Committee, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, State Bar of Texas (2009)
  • Co-Author: Legislative Update: Significant Bills of the 80th Texas Legislature Affecting Real Estate, Lending, and Other Commercial Matters, Real Estate Legislative Affairs Committee, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, State Bar of Texas (2007)
  • Co-Author: Form Updates Resulting From Legislative Changes, Real Estate Legislative Affairs Committee, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, State Bar of Texas (2006)
  • Co-Author: Legislative Update: Significant Bills of the 79th Texas Legislature Affecting Real Estate, Lending, and Other Commercial Matters, Real Estate Legislative Affairs Committee, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, State Bar of Texas (2005)

The Clark Hill approach is equally pragmatic and growth-minded, which is why we understand our clients’ toughest business challenges. Our multidisciplinary, global team of advisors focuses on smart legal solutions, delivered simply.

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