Cole, Daniel J.

Dan is a shareholder in the firm of Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association. He is certified as a real property law specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association and is a member of the Financial Institutions and Real Estate Section. He practices principally in the areas of:

• Real estate purchase and sale
• Real estate finance
• Commercial leases
• Title, survey and title insurance
• Environmental issues
• Multi unit projects

With 36 years of experience, Dan works closely with corporate clients to address various real estate needs from the purchase or sale of a building to project financing, title and survey review, and commercial leasing. He assists clients with drafting proper documentation for large-scale multiuse projects, both residential and commercial. He also has experience with troubled real estate projects and assists clients with foreclosures, lease defaults, workouts and cancellations of contracts for deed.

Dan often represents borrowers as Minnesota real estate counsel in multi-state financing transactions ranging from $10 to $150 million. He has significant experience assisting both lenders and borrowers in mortgage and construction financing. Dan also has several decades of experience in commercial leasing, representing both landlords and tenants in large office building and shopping center projects. Lately, he has done significant work in the area of medical office building leasing. Dan also has experience in environmental compliance issues in real estate transactions involving purchase and sale, financing and leasing.

Dan has represented numerous nonprofit organizations in all aspects of real estate, including construction of facilities and securing appropriate financing. These matters often involve private, local, state and/or federal financing and grants. Most recently, he was involved in a $30 million acquisition and development of a nonprofit’s new headquarters and the development of a 120-unit housing facility for a faith-based organization.

Other recent representative transactions include:

• Representation of various City of Saint Paul development entities in connection with acquisition, title, survey and development issues for large development projects;
• Local real estate counsel and ongoing representation of a national home developer in connection with land acquisition and development, and the creation of common interest communities;
• Representation of a large grocery store client, which leases shopping center stores ranging from 30,000 to 60,000 square feet, in drafting agreements and lease negotiations;
• Representation of the developer of medical office buildings in the acquisition, title and survey review, financing, and leasing of numerous buildings; and
• The sale and lease back of a high-rise office building in downtown Saint Paul.

As a complement to his practice, Dan provides pro bono legal assistance to individuals and organizations, handling several pro bono real estate matters per year that involve issues regarding housing, landlord-tenant disputes, equity skimming and foreclosures. He is chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.

Dan is admitted to practice before the federal district courts of Minnesota and Nebraska, as well as the U.S. Court of Military Appeals. He has been listed in Minnesota Super Lawyers, as well as the Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business guide. He was also selected as a “Leading American Attorney” and a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

Dan is a member of the Ramsey County, Minnesota State and American Bar associations. He is also a member of the Twin Cities Creighton University Alumni Board. He has held a number of leadership positions with various bar associations, including as a former chairperson of the Ramsey County and Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) Real Estate Sections, member of MSBA’s board of governors, and president of the Ramsey County Bar Association. He has also served on the board of Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services and as board president of that organization.

Dan received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Creighton University, where he was on the editorial board and author of a comment for the Creighton Law Review. He was also a member of the National Moot Court Team. He served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps for four years before joining Briggs in 1973.