Jeffrey J. Serum

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Email: jserum@fredlaw.com
Office: 612.492.7304
Assistant: Debbie Kleist, 612.492.7549

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PRIMARY SERVICES

Real Estate
Oil & Gas

ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE

Construction

“I define success as providing practical solutions to challenging issues.”

Overview

Jeff is a seasoned real estate lawyer focusing on the acquisition, development, construction, leasing and financing of real estate.

Jeff’s approach to helping his clients is creative and proactive, and his representation of clients in a broad spectrum of transactions allows him to provide sound practical legal and business advice. As a member of Fredrikson & Byron’s Real Estate Group, Jeff works with a wide range of clients including real estate developers, retailers, property managers and manufacturers. As a member of Fredrikson & Byron’s Oil and Gas Group, Jeff handles real estate matters relating to oil and gas exploration and production for oil and gas companies, with emphasis on mineral title examination.

Clients seek Jeff’s guidance to anticipate the many issues that may arise in the acquisition and disposition of real estate to avoid unnecessary delays and pitfalls in the pre-closing process and to avoid post-acquisition problems. His transactional services include determination of the appropriate deal structure, preparation and negotiation of purchase and sale agreements and lease agreements, due diligence review, and assistance with debt and equity financing.

Developers seek Jeff’s assistance with land use and development matters, including preparing and negotiating reciprocal easement agreements, preparing and negotiating development agreements with municipal officials and appearing before municipal governing bodies for annexation, zoning and subdivision matters.

Jeff has authored articles for various legal and industry publications, including the Bakken Oil Business Journal, Midwest Real Estate News, the Minnesota Real Estate Journal and Wisconsin Lawyer.

Experience

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Negotiated agreements regarding the acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate. Representative transactions include office buildings, shopping centers, big box retail buildings, hotels and vacant land.
Negotiated industrial, office, retail and communications facility leases on behalf of landlords and tenants, covering single-tenant and multi-tenant properties.
Prepared oil and gas drilling and division order title opinions that address complex mineral ownership issues including navigable rivers, platted subdivisions, railroad lines, federal lands, secondary recovery units, perpetual royalty interests and depth limitations.

Articles & Presentations

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

“The Evolution of Rent in Retail Leases,” The Connection, Minnesota Shopping Center Association, November 2016
“The Attorney’s Role in the Bakken,” Bakken Oil Business Journal, February/March 2013
“Development Strategies at a Time When Variance Laws are in Flux,” co-authored with Thomas Gump, Minnesota Real Estate Journal, February 2011

Honors & Education

EDUCATION

University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 2002, cum laude
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, B.S., Finance and Economics, 1998, with honors

BAR ADMISSIONS

Minnesota, 2003
North Dakota, 2012
Wisconsin, 2002
Wyoming, 2015
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, 2002
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2003

HONORS

Order of the Coif, Member
Minnesota State Bar Association – Real Property Section, Certified Real Property Law Specialist
Minnesota Super Lawyers, Rising Star

MN State Bar Association Certified Specialist

Professional Activities

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

The Minnesota State Bar Association
State Bar of Wisconsin
Hennepin County Bar Association
Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
Minnesota Shopping Center Association, Newsletter Committee Member
Urban Land Institute