 Practices
 Industries
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W. Leighton Lord III practices in the areas of economic development, corporate, partnership and real estate law. His legal practice has a special emphasis on economic development and real estate financing, commercial leasing and state land sale registrations. Mr. Lord is the former Chairman of Nexsen Pruet.
Prior to joining Nexsen Pruet, Mr. Lord clerked for the prestigious Delaware Chancery Court before practicing corporate litigation in Wilmington, Delaware. Mr. Lord also served for three years as staff counsel to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Mr. Lord is a contributing author of "Protecting the Land: Conservation Easements Past, Present and Future." He received his law degree from Vanderbilt University, with honors.
 Career Highlights
- Delaware Chancery Court - Law Clerk
- U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations - Staff Counsel
- Liberty Fellow
- Santee Cooper - Board of Directors
- Heathwood Hall Episcopal School - Past Board Chair, Current Foundation Board Member
- Palmetto Club - Board of Governors
- Riley Institute Diversity Fellow
- Lead counsel for aircraft manufacturer in negotiating governmental incentives for a commercial aircraft manufacturing facility
- Lead counsel for international bottled water company for due diligence and land acquisition for a bottled water facility
- Lead real estate counsel for international manufacturer in simultaneous siting of two facilities each having a value of over $200,000,000.00
- Lead counsel in the structuring and development of over 25 multifamily projects in the Southeast, including Ridenour in Cobb County, Georgia and Park Road, in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Lead counsel in the structuring and development of over 15 condominium projects including the $75,000,000.00 Renaissance in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Lead counsel for regional trucking company in the acquisition and development of service centers throughout the Southeast, including recent development projects in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Raleigh, North Carolina as well as the recent acquisition of a portfolio of 23 interstate truck service centers located in 12 states
- Currently represent more than 50 resort developers in their state land sale registrations
- Represented buyers of retail centers including the recent acquisition of Thornblade Center in Greenville, South Carolina South and North Carolina counsel on major multi-state acquisition and financing transactions including that of Outback Steakhouse and Extended Stay America
- Drafted and negotiated major leases in medical office, downtown office building and retail projects
 News
 Publications
- "A Green Trifecta: Save Money, Create Jobs, Conserve"
Nexsen Pruet attorney, Leighton Lord, and Santee Cooper Vice-President, Laura Varn, want to educate South Carolinians on ways to create a more sustainable economy when it comes to energy efficiency.
- "A Case for Coordinating Economic Development Planning with Energy Planning"
Nexsen Pruet attorney Leighton Lord co-authored an article discussing the impact that energy costs have on economic development planning for the South Carolina Journal for International Law and Business.
- "Good waiters make good lawyers"
Nexsen Pruet attorney Leighton Lord authors an article for South Carolina Lawyers Weekly.
- Trade Allies Directory
The new edition of Southern Business & Development magazine features the "1st Annual Trade Allies Directory."
Nexsen Pruet is the only law firm listed in both North and South Carolina. What's more, Sanford Holshouser, the firm Nexsen Pruet joined forces with in January, also made the list in North Carolina.
- Top 10 Law Firms that Understand Economic Development
Nexsen Pruet is named among the top law firms in the Southeast for economic development - and is the only law firm listed in South Carolina.
- Commercial Leases: A Company's Most Important Contract
Many companies today do not give their leases the same respect they give commercial contracts. The problem is that most leases are far more important than the majority of contracts the company enters into. This article will attempt to address some of the basics of understanding and negotiating a commercial lease on behalf of a tenant. While many companies may be landlords, typically a company is a tenant. That being said, the issues raised in this article are of equal interest to a landlord.
- What You Need to Know About State Land Sale Regulations
- David v. Goliath - Negotiating a commercial lease on behalf of the tenant
- Protecting the Land: Conservation Easements Past, Present and Future
Leighton Lord helped write the South Carolina chapter on conservation easements....
 Events
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 Education
- University of Delaware, B.A.A.S., 1986
- Vanderbilt University, J.D., 1989
 Bar & Court Admissions
 Civic & Professional Memberships
- South Carolina Bar
- Site Selection Committee - City of Columbia homeless facility
- Urban Land Institute - Past Chair of Midlands Executive Committee and Member of South Carolina Executive Committee
- Foundation for Columbia's Future-Executive Committee
- Founder of TriBuddies
- Palmetto Economic Development Corporation – Board Member
- Governor’s Wind Energy Task Force - Member
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Offshore Renewable Energy Task Force for South Carolina - Member
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