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Alison R. Cayton
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A partner in the firm for over 30 years, and the chair of the firm’s real estate section, Alison has a broad-based practice that allows her to counsel clients through all stages of a real estate transaction.
In addition to representing developers, she acts as lender counsel for local banks, and is very experienced in title matters. Alison has developed a particular focus on the creation of private land use controls in the form of restrictive covenants and reciprocal easements for commercial developments (both single purpose and mixed-use) and residential restrictive covenants for residential planned developments.
About
Although her practice extends statewide, Alison assists clients in the acquisition, financing, and sale of out of state properties. Among her client base are established commercial and residential developers, as well as many family-owned companies involved in the development and management of their real estate holdings.
Typical commercial development projects that she has been involved in include mixed-use subdivisions, commercial subdivisions, multi-family projects, including financing for both construction and Fannie Mae loans, and the acquisition, construction, and development of hotels. Typical residential development projects include numerous single-family residential subdivisions, golf course communities, townhome, and residential condominium developments.
Alison routinely takes projects from contract negotiations, through the due diligence phase to the land acquisition closing. Typically, she handles the financing of the project and assists the client through the property development phase and onto the ultimate construction and leasing or sale of the project. No two projects are the same however, and she works to find practical solutions to issues that arise in each case. Many of her deals involve replacement or relinquished property under a 1031 exchange structure.
She has a great deal of experience in creating various forms of condominium structures. Her work in that realm includes the creation of the residential condominium portion within a mixed-use office tower, land condominiums for mixed-use projects or phased office developments, and traditional stacked unit residential and office condominiums. She also assists in the analysis of the appropriate property owner’s association structure for each proposed condominium or planned development project. For clients who have acquired existing projects, Alison provides counsel on the structure and necessary amendments to the existing covenants and owner’s association documents to allow the client to achieve its goals with that project.
Having practiced with the firm since she was licensed in North Carolina, Alison enjoys long-term working relationships with her clients and appreciates the fact that she has been able to contribute to the built environment of the Triangle and the state through the projects she has handled through the years.
Credentials
Education
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – J.D./M.R.P – 1991
- The University of the South (Sewanee) – B.A. in English – 1986 – Cum Laude
Admitted to Practice
- State of North Carolina – 1991
Professional Memberships & Activities
- American Bar Association Member
- Wake County Bar Association Member (1991 – Present)
- Wake County Real Property Lawyers (1991 – Present)
- North Carolina Bar Association Member (1991 – Present)
- Real Property Section (1991 – Present)
- Homeowners Association/Condominium Subcommittee (2013 – 2018)
- North Carolina State Bar Certified Specialist in Real Property Law: Business, Commercial and Industrial Transactions (2003 – Present)
- North Carolina State Bar Real Estate Specialization Committee (2014 – 2020; 2023 – 2024)
- North Carolina Uniform Bar Exam State Specific Component – Real Estate Subcommittee (2016 – 2017)
- Consistently named the among Business North Carolina’s ‘Legal Elite’ in the area of Real Estate (2009 – 2014; 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023-2026)
- Recognized by Best Lawyers for Real Estate Law (2018 – 2027) and Commercial Finance Law (2027)
- Recognized by Chambers and Partners for Real Estate Law – Band 4 (2026)
- Recognized by NC Super Lawyers for Real Estate (2019 – 2026)
- Recognized with a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review AV Rating™ (2014 – 2025)
Representative Transactions
- Has represented and continues to represent residential subdivision developers in the acquisition, development and sale of lots to builders for numerous planned residential communities in Wake, Durham, Johnston and Orange Counties.
- Represents Raleigh-based hospitality company in the acquisition, financing and construction of mid-sized hotels with national franchises throughout North Carolina.
- Created land condominium structure for redevelopment of a student housing and mixed-use development site in Chapel Hill.
- Serves as title, acquisition and construction and Fannie Mae financing counsel for multi-family apartment and self-storage facility developer on numerous projects throughout North Carolina.
- Represents medical office building developers in the acquisition, financing, construction, and leasing of sites throughout North Carolina.
- Created restrictive covenants and accompanying owner’s association documentation for master, commercial and residential associations within 500+ acre mixed use development in Raleigh.
- Represented clients in the assemblage, financing and development of 800+ acre residential golf course community, including development of master and sub-association restrictive covenants and creation of corresponding property owners associations in Wake Forest.
- Represented client in mixed-use development in Durham with creation of a multi-layered condominium structure, including land condominium, building condominium by floor for retail, commercial and residential uses, and residential unit condominium.
Community Engagement
Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women
- Board of Directors (2010 – 2012)
- Member (2002 – 2026)
Seasons Village, Inc., Board of Directors (2023 – 2024)
Aldert Root School Educational Foundation
- Founding Member (2005)
- President (2005 – 2009)
Saint Mary’s School – Parents Association (2010 – 2014)
Broughton High School – PTA (2015 – 2017)
White Memorial Presbyterian Church
- Elder (2012 – 2015; 2018 – 2021)
- Church School Superintendent (2010 – 2011)
- Presbyterian Women (1999 – 2024)
Triangle Land Conservancy
- Land and Stewardship Committee (1997 – 2000)