Shawn R. Willis
Shawn Willis has a general business practice involving both transactional and litigation matters. In addition to developing a diverse business practice, Shawn also has advanced his legal education by obtaining a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation. Shawn is active in the Charleston and Mount Pleasant communities and currently serves on the Charleston County Board of Assessment Appeals, which is an independent board that hears appeals involving property taxes.
Corporate and Business Transactions: Shawn’s corporate and business practice involves handling mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, business entity formations and reorganizations, and acting as outside general counsel for businesses and non-profit organizations. In connection with these areas, Shawn drafts all types of business documents, including contracts, limited liability company operating agreements, partnership agreements, buy-sell agreements, asset / stock purchase agreements and corporate bylaws.
Taxation and Estate Planning: In conjunction with his business practice, Shawn provides advice to businesses and individuals regarding federal, state and local taxation, and also provides estate planning, gift planning and probate administration services. His practice includes drafting wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and powers of attorney. He also advises clients on matters involving business succession planning, wealth and asset protection, and real estate and business tax issues.
Community Associations: Shawn is a member of the firm’s Community Association practice group, and has experience with all aspects of residential and commercial subdivision development, including land acquisition, subdivision, and homeowners' association formation and governance. Shawn counsels developers and community associations in regard to the drafting and amending of restrictive covenants, enforcement of restrictive covenants, non-profit corporation and governance issues, and the collection of unpaid assessments, including the foreclosure of community association liens.
Commercial Real Estate and Finance: Shawn’s practice involves handling all types of matters related to commercial real estate and finance:
- Transactions: Shawn provides counsel to purchasers, sellers, developers, lenders, landlords and tenants in all types of commercial real estate transactions, including financing, development, acquisitions and sales, contract drafting, Section 1031 like-kind tax-deferred exchanges, leasing, condominium regime formation, zoning and land use planning.
- Commercial Foreclosures and Collections: Additionally, Shawn represents national, regional, local and private lenders in creditor’s rights matters, including commercial mortgage foreclosures, and commercial note and guaranty enforcement actions. Additionally, Shawn handles commercial collections, including supplementary proceedings and domestication and enforcement of foreign judgments.
- Commercial Loan Workouts and Restructurings: In conjunction with his creditor’s rights practice, Shawn also handles commercial loan workouts and restructurings, including loan modifications, forbearance agreements, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure agreements, short sale agreements, confessions of judgment, and note purchases and sales.
- Real Estate Litigation: Shawn provides real estate litigation and title issue resolution services to property owners, lenders and title insurance companies, including handling quiet title, declaratory judgment, reformation, injunction, partition, road closure and condemnation actions.
“Communication is the foundation of any strong relationship. Accordingly, I make a deliberate effort to build and maintain my relationship with my clients by communicating with them in a timely, simple and effective manner.”