- Shareholder
- cmacrae@nyemaster.com
- 515-283-8175
- Des Moines Office
Colleen R.
MacRae
“It’s my passion to help clients with all of the stages in their business—from the beginning, to the middle, and a successful transition at the end.”
Colleen MacRae practices with the firm's Business, Finance & Real Estate team. Colleen represents real estate developers, purchasers, and sellers in a variety of commercial real estate transactions and works on commercial loan transactions, representing companies that lend money secured by commercial properties.
Colleen assists clients in real estate acquisitions and sales and development projects. She assists landlords and tenants in lease transactions for office, retail, and industrial leasing. Colleen also provides counseling to clients on issues relating to zoning, permitting, land use, economic development incentives, and environmental regulatory compliance.
In lending, Colleen works primarily with life insurance companies handling due diligence and negotiating, documenting, and closing loan transactions. She has experience representing financial institutions in transactional matters and bank regulatory issues.
In her corporate business practice, Colleen works on mergers and acquisitions, contract matters, data and cybersecurity and corporate governance. She works with a broad range of industries including banking, construction, manufacturing, municipal utilities, wind and other renewable energy, finance, software, and health care. From initial start-up through growth and acquisition to succession planning and exit strategy Colleen regularly assists clients in every aspect of business. In her practice, Colleen also assists with environmental law matters, reviewing environmental site assessments and advising clients on state and federal environmental laws.
Colleen was one of five real estate attorneys in the United States selected to serve a two-year fellowship with the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section. She is very active in professional, civic, and nonprofit organizations and currently serves on a number of boards and committees in the community.
American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law Section
1 of 5 real estate attorneys in the U.S. selected to be a 2018–2020 Fellow
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2021–2023
Real Estate Law, 2021–2023
Great Plains Super Lawyers
Rising Stars, 2020–2022
Des Moines Business Record Forty Under 40
Honoree, 2021
American Bar Association
- Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section
- Environment, Energy, & Resources Section
Iowa State Bar Association
- Young Lawyer’s Executive Council, 2013–2017
- Bench-Bar Conference Committee Member, 2013–2015
Polk County Bar Association
Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa
- Executive Committee, 2021–present
- Board Member, 2018–present
- Facilities/Capital Projects Committee, 2018–present
Capital Crossroads Capital Core
Tri-Chair, 2016–2021
City of Des Moines Urban Design
- Review Board, 2013–2020
- Vice Chair, 2015–2017
City of Des Moines Comprehensive Plan DSM and Zoning Ordinance Steering Committee
Appointed Member, 2015–2017
East Village Neighborhood Association
- President, 2014–2015
- Treasurer, 2013, 2014
- Board, 2011–2017
Nominated Civilian Attendee, National Security Seminar, Army War College
2016
Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, Community Leadership Program
Class of 2015
"The Not-So Standard, Not-So Retail Shopping Center"
American Bar Association Real Property, Trust & Estate Section Law Annual Conference, 2022 (speaker)
"Practical Pointers: The (Disappearing) Right of First Refusal and Other Potential Trouble"
Probate and Property Magazine, September/October 2020 (author)
"Advising Tenants in Co-Working Space 'Leases'"
American Bar Association: Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section Annual Conference, 2020 (moderator)
OVERVIEW
Colleen MacRae practices with the firm's Business, Finance & Real Estate team. Colleen represents real estate developers, purchasers, and sellers in a variety of commercial real estate transactions and works on commercial loan transactions, representing companies that lend money secured by commercial properties.
Colleen assists clients in real estate acquisitions and sales and development projects. She assists landlords and tenants in lease transactions for office, retail, and industrial leasing. Colleen also provides counseling to clients on issues relating to zoning, permitting, land use, economic development incentives, and environmental regulatory compliance.
In lending, Colleen works primarily with life insurance companies handling due diligence and negotiating, documenting, and closing loan transactions. She has experience representing financial institutions in transactional matters and bank regulatory issues.
In her corporate business practice, Colleen works on mergers and acquisitions, contract matters, data and cybersecurity and corporate governance. She works with a broad range of industries including banking, construction, manufacturing, municipal utilities, wind and other renewable energy, finance, software, and health care. From initial start-up through growth and acquisition to succession planning and exit strategy Colleen regularly assists clients in every aspect of business. In her practice, Colleen also assists with environmental law matters, reviewing environmental site assessments and advising clients on state and federal environmental laws.
Colleen was one of five real estate attorneys in the United States selected to serve a two-year fellowship with the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section. She is very active in professional, civic, and nonprofit organizations and currently serves on a number of boards and committees in the community.
RECOGNITION
American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law Section
1 of 5 real estate attorneys in the U.S. selected to be a 2018–2020 Fellow
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2021–2023
Real Estate Law, 2021–2023
Great Plains Super Lawyers
Rising Stars, 2020–2022
Des Moines Business Record Forty Under 40
Honoree, 2021
PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS
American Bar Association
- Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section
- Environment, Energy, & Resources Section
Iowa State Bar Association
- Young Lawyer’s Executive Council, 2013–2017
- Bench-Bar Conference Committee Member, 2013–2015
Polk County Bar Association
Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa
- Executive Committee, 2021–present
- Board Member, 2018–present
- Facilities/Capital Projects Committee, 2018–present
Capital Crossroads Capital Core
Tri-Chair, 2016–2021
City of Des Moines Urban Design
- Review Board, 2013–2020
- Vice Chair, 2015–2017
City of Des Moines Comprehensive Plan DSM and Zoning Ordinance Steering Committee
Appointed Member, 2015–2017
East Village Neighborhood Association
- President, 2014–2015
- Treasurer, 2013, 2014
- Board, 2011–2017
Nominated Civilian Attendee, National Security Seminar, Army War College
2016
Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, Community Leadership Program
Class of 2015
SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS
"The Not-So Standard, Not-So Retail Shopping Center"
American Bar Association Real Property, Trust & Estate Section Law Annual Conference, 2022 (speaker)
"Practical Pointers: The (Disappearing) Right of First Refusal and Other Potential Trouble"
Probate and Property Magazine, September/October 2020 (author)
"Advising Tenants in Co-Working Space 'Leases'"
American Bar Association: Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section Annual Conference, 2020 (moderator)