John Elliott
BIOGRAPHY
John Elliott is a partner at Kelly Hart & Hallman, where he specializes in commercial real estate. His practice encompasses a variety of areas, including acquisitions, financings, development, construction, leasing, and dispositions. He provides guidance to a diverse clientele, including publicly traded and private companies, financial institutions, real estate funds, family businesses, and individuals, on complex real estate transactions across multiple sectors, including retail, office, hotel, and mixed-use developments, industrial (including self-storage) facilities, real estate financings, residential communities, and multi-family projects, with extensive experience in commercial (including ground) lease transactions.
In addition to his commercial real estate practice, Mr. Elliott is well-versed in oil and gas, and estate planning/probate, having focused on those areas early in his career, as well as economic development. He is a past or present member of several professional organizations, including the American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, Austin Bar Association, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA).
Mr. Elliott earned his BBA with honors in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He recently marked his 25th consecutive year as a Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent lawyer, recognized for his specialization in commercial real estate.
In addition to his legal career, Mr. Elliott was appointed by Governor Abbott in May 2016 to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, where he completed his first 6-year term and was reappointed for a second 6-year term in 2023.
EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS
- Regularly represents owners and developers in the acquisition, development, leasing, and sale of retail shopping centers, office buildings, hotels, mixed use developments, industrial parks and multi-family developments
- 30+ years negotiating commercial lease agreements on behalf of national and regional retailers throughout the United States
- Represented developers in the acquisition and development of residential communities
- Represented various clients in the acquisition and disposition of various properties throughout Texas
AFFILIATIONS
- American Bar Association
- Austin Bar Association
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
- Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA)
- State Bar of Texas, Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Law Section
EDUCATION
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D.
- The University of Texas at Austin, BBA, with honors
ADMISSIONS
- State Bar of Texas