As a member of the firm’s Economic Development Practice Group and a member of the Real Estate team, Tom Trent represents clients regionally and nationally, including major manufacturing companies, corporate users of commercial real estate, institutional investors, developers, lenders and governmental entities in their real estate and economic development incentive matters.

With more than 40 years of experience in real estate and economic development law, Tom has handled complex economic development incentive and commercial real estate transactions across the country, including real estate financing, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, workouts, equity participations, tax advantaged leasing, the structuring and financing of subordinated and unsubordinated ground leases, industrial development financing, grants, tax increment financing (TIFs), and payment in lieu of tax agreement transactions (PILOTs).

Tom was honored to receive the award for Real Estate as the exclusive winner in the 'Individual Practitioners' category at the Lexology, Inc. North America Awards event on June 20, 2024, in New Yok City. Presented by Lexology, the Association of Corporate Counsel and Who’s Who Legal, the Client Choice Awards are designed to honor the best in-house lawyers and private practitioners who stand apart for the service they provide clients. These awards are considered one of the most prestigious accolades available to legal practitioners, and selections are made from in-depth, comprehensive practice area-based research that is collected from over 300,000 individual recommendations from private practitioners and in-house counsel. Tom has also received an annual Client Choice Award for five consecutive years from 2020 through 2024.

Tom has been a frequent speaker or panelist for economic development seminars and programs, including the Tennessee Governor’s Conference on Economic Development (numerous years), Tennessee Economic Development Council (numerous times), American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Tennessee Municipal League, the International Council of Shopping Centers (TN/KY Idea Exchange), the Nashville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, NAIOP, and a number of other organizations.

Bar Admissions

• Tennessee, 1979

Education

• Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 1979, Elliott E. Cheatham Scholar
• Wabash College, A.B., 1976, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa