|
Land use and real estate lawyer Kristine Wilson guides developers in a range of projects, from large-scale, mixed-use, high-density urban retail centers to energy projects in remote rural areas and coastline zones. Kris draws on her local and federal government experience and network of regulatory agency and consultant relationships to support strategic, efficient, and successful project development. Her project work includes shaping conditions to balance demands of multifaceted projects like transit-oriented developments, landmark renovations, or port terminals; negotiating high-profile, public-private partnership (PPP) agreements; and leading environmental due diligence, review, and consultation processes with various agencies and stakeholders.
Kris represents private and public owners and developers of large retail, office, hotel, sports and entertainment, energy, industrial, educational, and other commercial projects. These projects often entail complex regulatory requirements and thoughtful negotiations with agencies and project neighbors.
Her project portfolio includes the major renovations and historic preservation work at Climate Pledge Arena, nationally prominent lifestyle retail centers, such as the nearly 3-million-square-foot Lincoln Square complex in Bellevue, energy projects, port terminal projects, and headquarters and campus areas for office, healthcare, educational, and industrial uses.
Kris serves as the firmwide chair of the Real Estate & Land Use practice. From 2016 to 2022, Kris served as office managing partner of the firm’s Bellevue office. She is also engaged in community nonprofit, civic leadership, and pro bono work in the greater Puget Sound area, and in industry leadership locally and nationally.
Counsel for Large, Complex Projects
Kris works from the onset with government agencies and skilled consultant teams to develop her client’s path forward. She helps evaluate, negotiate, obtain, and defend regulatory approvals and agreements necessary for acquisition, development, and use of real property. In the process, Kris devises effective legislative, permitting, and other strategies that clear project obstacles, address project impacts, and promote long-term success.
Along the way, Kris keeps an eye on efficiency for her clients. As the daughter of a small business owner and contractor who also served as a local elected official, she understands the cash flow challenges of construction projects and the value of delivering projects on time and on budget.
Environmental Counsel
Additionally, Kris works with project developers on environmental due diligence and environmental impact statements (EISs), particularly in complex urban or shoreline areas. Kris has extensive experience leading clients through National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) processes and advising on wetland, endangered species, and historic and cultural resources issues. She counsels clients with respect to zoning and entitlement review, environmental review, master plans and federal, state, and local regulatory processes, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington State Department of Ecology and Department of Natural Resources, and municipal development agreements.
Professional and Civic Leadership
As an active member and leader of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Kris chairs ULI’s national Public Development and Infrastructure Product Council. She also serves on the advisory board of the University of Washington Runstad Department of Real Estate and is a member of the Pacific Real Estate Institute. In addition, Kris authored the “Commercial Development” chapter in the Real Property Deskbook series published by the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA).
Kris is the firmwide chair of Perkins Coie’s Real Estate & Land Use practice. Her leadership in the Puget Sound business community has included serving on the boards of directors of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and the YWCA of Seattle-King-Snohomish. She also leads pro bono teams in assisting nonprofits with the growth and development of their organizations’ facilities, including Community Passageways’ Youth Achievement Center, Food Lifeline’s Hunger Solution Center, National Nordic Museum, Vashon Center for the Arts, and new food bank locations for Ballard Food Bank, Rainier Valley Food Bank, and University District Food Bank.
