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Wm. Terry Bray

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Real Estate, Water Law

Direct Phone: 512.480.5635

Direct Fax: 512.480.5835

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Terry Bray has never relinquished the rational analytical style that he first learned as an undergraduate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Clients, colleagues and fellow community leaders have come to count on Terry to ask the penetrating question, whether the issue at hand is a complex commercial real estate matter, a question of direction for Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, or a strategic public policy issue confronting the larger community.

As a member of the Real Estate group at Graves Dougherty, Terry has used his probing style to help meld the diverse talents of the group into a team practicing all aspects of real estate law with high expectations for innovative, authoritative solutions and true client satisfaction. Within the group, Terry personally focuses on negotiating, structuring and documenting commercial transactions and offering special expertise in the area of entitlements and permits for development projects.

As a citizen, Terry not only has encouraged members of his firm to participate in professional and community activities, he also has invested his own talents widely. He is a founding director and current chair of the Vision Austin 2010 Foundation, a founding director and past chair of the Capital Area Transportation Coalition and a member of the influential Austin Area Research Organization. He is a long-time member of the Board of Visitors of The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, a former chair of the board of the Austin Community College Foundation, and a key participant in numerous other organizations.

And what does Terry believe is the strength of the law firm he's been a part of for more than forty years? He suggests it’s “the problem-solving abilities of our lawyers – uniformly bright people who are passionate about their work and enjoy working with each other. We provide very smart, very professional service for the benefit of our clients.”

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PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Admitted: Texas, 1965

Board Certified in Commercial Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Education: The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., with honors, 1965, Phi Delta Phi, Order of the Coif, Chancellors, Phi Kappa Phi, Texas Law Review (1964-65). Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management, 1962.

Assistant to the Solicitor General, Office of the Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. – 1970-72

Law Clerk to the Honorable Joseph C. Hutcheson, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit – 1965-66

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REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Terry works with land owners, developers and companies acquiring and operating research and industrial campuses, as well as with individual property owners and investors.

Recent Matters include:

  • Representing several major area commercial and industrial clients in property acquisition, title and survey issues, utility and entitlement approvals, and development matters
  • Representing a well-known Austin music venue in negotiating and documenting contractual arrangements with local government and area land owners
  • Representing a large national real estate developer in property acquisition, title and survey issues, utility and entitlement approvals, development and construction, leasing and operations matters
  • Representing land owners in acquiring, selling and leasing land, master planning for development, utility and entitlement approvals, and transportation and drainage arrangements
  • Representing a Fortune 500 company in the acquisition, development and expansion of its regional headquarter campus
  • Representing residential developers of large-scale residential communities in connection with property acquisition, title and survey issues, utility and entitlement approvals and restrictive covenants
  • Representing developers of large master-planned, mixed-use projects in acquiring, selling and leasing land, master planning for development, zoning, utility and entitlement approvals, transportation and drainage arrangements, project restrictive covenants, and tax increment financing
  • Representing urban core landowners and developers in acquiring, selling and leasing land, master planning for development, zoning, utility and entitlement approvals, and transportation and drainage arrangements
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PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • American Bar Association, Member – Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section
  • American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Member – (Board of Governors, 1990-97; Executive Committee, 1994-95 and 1996-97; Secretary, 1996-97)
  • State Bar of Texas, Member – Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section (Board of Directors, 1985-1990 and 1994-2003; Chair, 1996-1997)
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow (Life Member)
  • Texas College of Real Estate Attorneys, Member (Board of Directors, 1990-present; Chair, 1990-93)
  • Member, Austin Bar Association (Board of Directors, 1983-91; President, 1989-90; Chair, Real Estate Section, 1976-85)
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AWARDS AND HONORS

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® published by Woodward/White, Inc., in Real Estate Law, 1983 -2011
  • Awarded the Gary Farmer Commendation of Excellence Award by the Real Estate Council of Austin, 2008
  • Awarded the Texas State Bar Distinguished Real Estate Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award, 2004
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COMMUNITY

  • Vision Austin 2010 Foundation, founding Director and current Chair
  • Austin Area Research Organization, Member
  • The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, Board of Visitors
  • Capital Area Transportation Coalition, founding Director and past Chair
  • Austin Community College Foundation, founding Director and past Chair
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Publications and Presentations

  • Faculty Member and Author/Speaker of the State Bar of Texas Changing Face of Water Rights in Texas (Co-Course Director, 2004)
  • Faculty Member and Author/Speaker, The University of Texas School of Law Mortgage Lending Institute (Chair, 1993)
  • Faculty Member and Author/Speaker, State Bar of Texas Advanced Real Estate Law Course (Co-Chair, 1985)
  • Faculty Member and Author/Speaker, The University of Texas School of Law Land Use Conference
  • Author/Speaker for various national, state and local Continuing Legal Education Programs
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