Bar Admissions
- North Carolina
Education
- Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- University of West Georgia, B.S., Economics, magna cum laude
John Robert Sechrist II practices in the areas of commercial real estate, capital markets and finance, and corporate, partnership and business law. His practice includes all facets of real estate transactions, including the purchase, sale, development and financing of commercial real estate. He has extensive experience representing both landlords and tenants in commercial leasing transactions, including negotiating, drafting and reviewing leases of all varieties.
John also advises clients on various corporate, limited liability company and partnership agreements, as well as creative and practical tax planning and asset preservation strategies, including 1031 like-kind exchanges and Opportunity Zone incentives.
John has focused his practice on Opportunity Zone tax incentives since its enactment in 2017. He has helped clients structure Qualified Opportunity Funds and Opportunity Zone investments, and frequently counsels private real estate investors, fund managers and operating businesses on the Opportunity Zones tax incentives.
- Represented family office real estate client with all aspects of real estate planning, financing and transaction execution
- Represented real estate investors and developers in the acquisition, financing, leasing, development and sale of various real estate assets
- Represented investor group with purchase of bank notes secured by distressed real estate
- Represented various landlord and tenants in negotiation and drafting of commercial leases
- Advised local real estate investors and developers on sophisticated tax deferral strategies
- Advised closely held businesses on various issues, including analysis of business structure, limited liability company and partnership agreements, shareholders’ agreements and partnership liquidations
- Represented local family limited partnership in multi-phased sale and 1031 exchange of timber land, including partial donation, to allow conversion to low-basis property to diversified net leased and shopping center properties across the Southeast in a tax-free manner, combined with a charitable deduction to use against other income
Honors & Awards
- CALI awards in Contracts, Construction Law, Debtor-Creditor Law, Legal Analysis, Research and Writing I, Professional Responsibility, Income Taxation and Taxation: Partnership.
- 2013 recipient of the Medal of Excellence from the American Bankruptcy Institute
- Wake Forest Law Review
- Member of Order of the Coif
Publications
- Brett M. Becker and John R. Sechrist II, “Claims of Unconscionability: An Empirical Study of The Prevailing Analysis in North Carolina,” 49 Wake Forest L. Rev. 633 (2014).
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