WILFRED O. KNOTTNERUS
(949) 285 6424
WKnottnerus@knottneruslaw.com
Mr. Knottnerus was born in Havre, Montana in 1960.
ACADEMIC RECORD
Mr. Knottnerus received his B.A. in 1982 from the University of Montana, where he graduated magna cum laude. He received his Juris Doctorate in 1985 from the University of San Diego, where he graduated cum laude in the top 6% of his class, and was a member and published author on the San Diego Law Review. Mr. Knottnerus was admitted to the California State Bar in 1985.
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Mr. Knottnerus' prior law firm affiliations include: Reavis & McGrath, Los Angeles (a New York based law firm, which has since been merged into Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P), where he practiced as a summer associate in the corporate department in 1984 and as an associate in the corporate and real estate departments from 1985 to 1987; Bushkin, Gaims, Gaines and Jonas, Century City, where he practiced as an associate in the real estate department (together with the real estate group from Reavis & McGrath) from 1987 to 1988; Hamilton & Samuels, Newport Beach, where he practiced as an associate in the real estate department from 1988 to 1990 and as a partner in the real estate department from 1990 to June 1994; Bridgford, Knottnerus & Gleason where he practiced as head of the real estate department from June of 1994 until December of 2007; and Knottnerus & Associates where he has practiced since December of 2007.
LEGAL EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
Mr. Knottnerus has extensive experience in residential real estate development. He has structured, drafted, negotiated and closed numerous and diverse residential development agreements, including purchase and sale agreements, option agreements, joint venture, general and limited partnership and limited liability company operating agreements, incentive management agreements, participating loan agreements, joint and cooperative development agreements, co-tenancy agreements, profit participation agreements, shared infrastructure agreements, licenses, REAs and easements, management agreements, construction agreements and "work out" agreements ( including partnership restructuring transactions and loan restructuring and deed in lieu transaction.)
Mr. Knottnerus' residential development acquisition experience includes representing developers in long term acquisitions of raw land (including dairy and other farms) for residential development, acquisitions of "paper lots" and acquisitions of "finished lots." Mr. Knottnerus' residential development disposition experience includes sales of raw land, sales of "paper lots," sales of "finished lots" (including sales with seller financing, sales with seller profit participation and sales with shared infrastructure agreements) and sales of homes to homebuyers.
Mr. Knottnerus' residential development joint venture, general and limited partnership and limited liability company experience includes both representing large financial institutions in joint ventures with residential developers, and representing residential developers in joint ventures with large financial institutions and other developers.
Mr. Knottnerus' construction experience includes preparing general contractor construction contracts, subcontractor construction contracts and related documents, and representing developers in construction disputes.
Mr. Knottnerus also has extensive experience in commercial real estate development transactions (including purchase and sale transactions involving both improved and unimproved land, partnership and limited liability company transactions and ground, industrial, office, retail and cellular telephone cell site leases).
Mr. Knottnerus has also handled numerous and diverse general business transactions (including incorporations, buy-sell agreements, business acquisitions and dispositions, employment agreements, consulting agreements and various general business contracts).
In addition to transactional work, Mr. Knottnerus has extensive experience in representing clients in disputes from a transactional and strategic standpoint, including analyzing agreements, structuring arguments, creating leverage, developing a written record and negotiating resolution of those disputes without litigation, and in providing strategic direction and input for disputes in litigation.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Mr. Knottnerus' professional affiliations include: the California State Bar; the Orange County Bar Association (Member of the Real Estate Law, Construction Law and Business Law Sections); and the Building Industry Association.
