Spotlight: The Ritchie Group, L.C.

“Our company has been involved in several complex real estate transactions.  Most recently, we finalized the due diligence and acquired a very visible and known, stalled, distressed and fractured condo mixed-use development in Orem that has been the source of much litigation and angst for several years. 

The attorneys at Kirton McConkie have been an invaluable resource in helping us to creatively and competently execute on our business strategy. Their counsel was instrumental in, among other things, helping to secure entitlements, successfully navigating political “mine fields,” helping to resolve complex title issues, negotiating development agreements, and finalizing and closing on a participating debt loan structure. They have played an important role through all aspects of due diligence and closing. I’ve appreciated that they have the depth to pull from when the need arises while being conscious to not ‘over-lawyer’ as some attorneys are prone to do. We’ve worked with Kirton McConkie for over 15 years and look forward to a mutual association for many years to come.”

Paul Ritchie, Manager of The Ritchie Group, LLC

The Ritchie Group has trusted the legal advice of Kirton McConkie lawyers in major real estate transactions since 2003. The firm represented The Ritchie Group and its entity, Poipu Beach Villas, LLC, in heading up the legal work necessary for the massive development on the Island of Kauai’s south-shore now known as Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach, a 323-unit luxury condominium resort.

Led by lead client contact R. Willis Orton, real estate lawyers Robert Hyde and Loyal Hulme and corporate lawyers Antonio Mejia and Ken Birrell, Kirton McConkie worked through significant entitlement, environmental and development issues. This project on Kauai’s south shore blossomed into one of Hawaii’s most significant destination resorts through its partnership with the Wyndham hotel chain.

Kirton McConkie also assisted the client in bringing Midtown 360 to fruition. The project, formerly known as Midtown Village, stalled in 2008 as Orem residents and Utah citizens alike watched rust and cobwebs form on the large multi-faceted development for the better part of seven years.

Kirton McConkie real estate attorneys encouraged the support and revitalization of the Midtown 360 project by meeting with neighborhood representatives and Orem City officials, modifying the original development plan, assisting in changing the zoning, coordinating with the City to pay off the special improvement district assessments and obtaining the City’s interest in the underground parking.

As the project progressed, Kirton McConkie attorneys led the negotiation, preparation and closing of the loans to finance the acquisition, construction, completion and stabilization of the project.

The Kirton McConkie legal team was led by Willis Orton and was comprised of real estate attorneys Loyal Hulme, Rob Walker and Eric Robinson as well as tax lawyer Ken Birrell.