Real Estate Considerations: Practical Strategies for Managing your Campus' Facilities

Mark DePillis

Mark S. DePillis leads Ballard Spahr's Construction Team. He focuses on real estate development, secured lending, design and construction contracting, and retail and office leasing.

Mark advises developers of condominium and mixed-use projects through all phases of project development, including acquisitions, partnership agreements, financing, negotiation of design and construction contracts, and condominium formation and documentation. Mark represents banks, investment funds, and other commercial lenders in acquisition, construction, and mezzanine lending and New Markets Tax Credit transactions. He also represents national retailers and developers in retail development and leasing transactions. Mark negotiates design, construction, and design-build agreements on behalf of owners and developers of office, laboratory, industrial, and institutional projects.

Mark is a LEED Accredited Professional as certified by the United States Green Building Council. He earned his JD from Boston College Law School and his BA from Tufts University.

Christopher Jones

Christopher Jones leads the firm's Tax and Tax Controversy teams. He advises clients on a wide range of federal, state, and local tax matters. His practice includes advising clients regarding the tax consequences of complex transactions and associated planning opportunities. Additionally, Chris assists clients in federal, state, and local tax audits and controversies, and has represented clients in administrative appeals and in court. He provides clients with tax advice in labor and other litigation
matters, including withholding tax and information reporting issues.

Chris also regularly counsels nonprofit organizations on a wide range of issues, including formation, federal and state compliance, unrelated business taxable income, and joint ventures. He co-leads the firm's Exempt Organizations team and has represented nonprofit organizations in IRS exempt status, employment, and information reporting audits.

Chris earned his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and his B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Meredith St. Clair Trego

Meredith Trego is an associate in the firm’s Real Estate Department, focusing her practice on land use and zoning matters. Meredith has experience working with a variety of city agencies through the zoning and permitting processes, including appearances before the Philadelphia Historical Commission and providing assistance to matters before the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Civic Design Review Committee. Meredith also has experience with transactional matters, including property acquisitions and dispositions, financing, and leasing.

Prior to her role at Ballard Spahr, Meredith managed real estate development at Philadelphia’s Department of Planning and Development, where she coordinated real estate development projects through government approvals and developed new policies and legislation to improve planning, zoning, and permitting procedures.

Meredith earned her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law, her M.C.P. from the University of Maryland, and her B.A. from The College of William and Mary.