Womble Bond Dickinson has added its first real estate attorney to the firm’s Los Angeles practice, continuing its expansion of offerings throughout its California locations.
The transatlantic firm hired Scott Mayer at its downtown office, where he is tasked with kickstarting the local real estate practice and integrating it with the broader Southern California practice group that also includes an Irvine office. He joined the firm last month as an of-counsel and brings a variety of non-legal experience to the job.
“Womble has been expanding in California, both Southern as well as Northern,” Mayer said. “That suited exactly what I was looking for, which was joining a reputable firm like Womble. I’m here taking on the challenge of growing a real estate practice here in Southern California to complement what the firm is doing in Northern California, but I also look at it as an opportunity for me personally.”
Mayer for years was chief operating officer of AVG Partners, a Beverly Hills-based property investment company. Before that, he was chief real estate officer for Orange County, where he managed the county’s portfolio of real estate, and from 1997-2012 he was president and general counsel of the former Wilton Partners real estate firm.
“I bring a very unique skillset to the real estate practice of Womble,” Mayer said. “With my background, because I have experience not just with legal but the business side, I see and recognize issues not just legally related but that are also business issues, and those are the kind of issues I think clients want their professionals to understand as well.”
Womble has been growing its West Coast presence this year. In addition to other Bay Area moves, the firm merged with business boutique Gordinier Kang & Kim LLP, adding new partners in Irvine and L.A. Kristin Walker-Probst, managing partner of Womble’s Southern California operation, said it was important to bring on someone like Mayer to build the real estate group.
“We’re definitely not growing for the sake of growing, but there is a real focus on Southern California,” she said, “so we’re open to any practice groups right now to supplement or add to what we have.”
