BoyarMiller promotes Claire Fernandez Bahney to shareholder

BoyarMiller has elected commercial real estate attorney Claire Fernandez Bahney as a shareholder, effective June 8. The move highlights the Houston firm’s push to expand its Texas real estate practice as clients navigate more complex acquisitions, financings, leases and development deals.

Why it matters: - Bahney’s promotion strengthens BoyarMiller’s ability to advise developers, investors, lenders and businesses on complex commercial real estate transactions across Texas. - The move underscores the firm’s investment in experienced counsel for acquisitions, financing, leasing and development work. - Bahney’s background includes in-house counsel experience, which gives her a practical view of the business issues behind real estate deals.

What happened: - BoyarMiller elected Claire Fernandez Bahney a shareholder, effective June 8. - Bahney is a member of BoyarMiller’s Real Estate Group. - She joined BoyarMiller in 2023. - Bahney has more than a decade of experience in commercial real estate transactions.

The details: - Bahney represents developers, owners and private equity investors in transactions across office, industrial, retail, multifamily, hospitality and mixed-use assets. - Her work spans Texas and other major U.S. markets. - Since joining BoyarMiller, Bahney has handled joint ventures for developments and redevelopments. - Her matters have also included construction and permanent financings, development and property management agreements, office, industrial and retail leases, and purchase and sale agreements for raw land, existing assets and equity interests. - Blake Royal, Real Estate Group Chair, said Bahney brings strong judgment and a steady, solutions-focused approach to transactions. - Royal added that Bahney’s experience, leadership and client service made her promotion well earned. - Bahney earned her JD from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where she graduated in the top 20% of her class and served as Lead Articles Editor for the Washington and Lee Law Review. - Bahney earned her BA in Sociology and Political Science from Wake Forest University, where she graduated magna cum laude. - Bahney is a member of the State Bar of Texas.

Between the lines: - BoyarMiller is signaling continuity in a core practice area by elevating an attorney with both transactional depth and in-house perspective. - The firm appears to be positioning its real estate group around business-minded advice as deal structures become more complex. - Bahney’s breadth across asset classes suggests the practice is geared toward clients with varied and evolving needs, not one narrow segment.

What’s next: - Bahney will continue advising clients on complex commercial real estate matters as a shareholder. - BoyarMiller is directing interested businesses, developers, investors, lenders and property owners to its Real Estate Group and Bahney through BoyarMiller.com. - The firm’s real estate practice is expected to keep focusing on acquisitions, financing, leasing and development projects.

The bottom line: - BoyarMiller is betting on seasoned real estate talent to deepen its Houston-based platform and support increasingly complex Texas deal work.