Our Team

TCWM - Tom Whelan

Thomas M. Whelan (Tom)

214.954.6815

Tom has extensive experience in leasing, financing, and real estate purchase and sale transactions, and first-chair trial experience in commercial real estate litigation. His trial and litigation experience includes landlord-tenant disputes, lender liability claims, real estate brokerage issues, zoning litigation and other real estate-related matters. Tom provides strategic counsel on complex negotiations and litigation, representing clients in both state and federal trial and appellate courts.

Tom has authored numerous articles and frequently speaks at continuing legal education seminars on topics such as leasing, receiverships, and real estate brokerage.

  • Representation of private equity group in connection with its restructure of regional retailer’s real estate holdings in anticipation of disposition of real estate assets and retail operations
  • Representation of developer in negotiations with national retailers, national hoteliers, and condominium developers in conceptual development and drafting of covenants, restrictions, and easements governing a planned mixed-use development of a regional mall, luxury hotels, and condominiums connected to two major professional sports venues
  • Representation of developers and owners in lease negotiations with national big-box tenants, and regional luxury and local retailers
  • Representation of owner of specialty “to the trade only” center for interior design professionals
  • Representation of international hardware wholesaler in negotiation of numerous warehouse and other leases throughout North America
  • Representation of restaurant chain in site acquisition, site development, and site leasing transactions
  • Representation of office landlords in negotiation of office leases, including lease of over 250,000-square-foot space to international tire manufacturer for its U.S. headquarters
  • Representation of buyers, sellers, and lenders in real estate sales, purchase, and financing transactions
  • Representation of servicers for conduit lenders in connection with collection, foreclosure, and restructuring of troubled loans
  • Representation of borrowers in negotiations, foreclosure, and receivership proceedings, and other litigation with servicers and special servicers in connection with lenders’ defaults of post-closing funding and other obligations, borrowers’ exercise of loan renewal options, and documentation of forbearance and discounted pay-off agreements
  • Representation of national theater chain in litigation with developer and developer’s conduit lender
  • J.D., SMU School of Law, 1987
  • B.A., magna cum laude, University of Dallas, 1982
  • State of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
  • American College of Real Estate Lawyers (2008-present)
  • American Bar Association (1987-present)
  • State Bar of Texas (1987-present)
  • Dallas Bar Association (1987-present)
  • Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters®: Published in Texas Monthly, 2011-2017, 2019-2023
  • LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell®: Rated AV Preeminent
  • ALM (American Lawyer Media) and Martindale-Hubbell®: Legal Leaders/Top Rated Lawyers
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Real Estate Law, 2018-2025
  • Jerry Charles Saegert Award: “Best CLE Paper”, Casualty  Related Provisions for Different Types of Commercial Leases, 2016 State Bar of Texas Annual Advanced Real Estate Law Course

Awards