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. She represents both buyers and sellers in the negotiation and closing of mergers, asset purchases, and stock acquisitions. Colleen provides advice to businesses regarding formation, organization, restructuring, and contract negotiation.

 

Colleen also regularly represents real estate developers, purchasers, and sellers in a variety of commercial real estate transactions. She assists landlords and tenants in lease transactions for office, retail, and industrial leasing and provides counseling to clients on issues relating to zoning, permitting, land use, economic development incentives, and environmental regulatory compliance.

 

Colleen 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), 2021–2022
Real Estate Law, 2021–2022

 

Great Plains Super Lawyers 
Rising Stars, 2020–2021

 

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

 

Capital Crossroads Capital Core 
Tri-Chair, 2016–present

 

Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa

  • Board Member, 2018–present
  • Facilities/Capital Projects Committee, 2018–present

 

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, 2015–2019

 

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. She represents both buyers and sellers in the negotiation and closing of mergers, asset purchases, and stock acquisitions. Colleen provides advice to businesses regarding formation, organization, restructuring, and contract negotiation.

 

Colleen also regularly represents real estate developers, purchasers, and sellers in a variety of commercial real estate transactions. She assists landlords and tenants in lease transactions for office, retail, and industrial leasing and provides counseling to clients on issues relating to zoning, permitting, land use, economic development incentives, and environmental regulatory compliance.

 

Colleen 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), 2021–2022
Real Estate Law, 2021–2022

 

Great Plains Super Lawyers 
Rising Stars, 2020–2021

 

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

 

Capital Crossroads Capital Core 
Tri-Chair, 2016–present

 

Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa

  • Board Member, 2018–present
  • Facilities/Capital Projects Committee, 2018–present

 

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, 2015–2019

 

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)