Douglas J. Short

About

Doug Short is a partner of the firm and practices exclusively as a transactional commercial real estate attorney in the firm’s Raleigh office. His practice includes primarily real property acquisitions, dispositions, development, title, leasing, and financing transactions.

Doug enjoys representing a diverse group of clients, including commercial developers, investors, buyers, sellers, and lenders, on a variety of projects, including without limitation, apartments, hotels, single-family residential, retail, restaurants, office, industrial, flex, and mixed-use projects throughout North Carolina. Doug also routinely counsels clients on commercial leasing matters. This work includes representation of owners of income-producing properties with their leasing needs, as well as tenant representation for office, retail, restaurant and industrial leases. Further, in cooperation with the firm’s tax practice group, Doug assists his clients in structuring and completing a variety of tax-deferred exchange transactions, including deferred, forward, reverse and build-to-suit or improvement exchanges.

Doug joined the firm’s commercial real estate practice group in 2008. Entering the practice during a recession opened up a variety of opportunities for Doug to assist the firm’s clients as they weathered the economic storm. In that regard, Doug’s services included representing borrowers, lenders, and guarantors in connection with loan workouts, foreclosures, restructuring, bankruptcy, and dispositions. He credits his initial work during an economic downturn as providing him with a valuable understanding of commercial financing transactions from both the lender and borrower perspective.

Doug was raised in Raleigh and currently resides there with his wife, Jessie, and their children, William, Bonnie and Birdie.

Credentials

Education

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Bachelor of Arts, 2004
• Campbell University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 2008, cum laude

Admitted to Practice

• North Carolina (2008)
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (2008).

Professional Memberships & Activities

• Wake County Real Property Lawyers Association
  • President – 2017
  • Vice President – 2018
  • Member – 2008 to Present
• Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors
  • Board of Directors – 2016 to Present
  • Member – 2016 to Present
• North Carolina Bar Association
  • Member – 2008 to Present
• North Carolina State Bar
  • Member – 2008 to Present
• Wake County Bar Association
  • Member – 2008 to Present
  • Lunch with a Lawyer Program – 2008 – 2010
• Recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Real Estate Law (2018-2027)
• Recognized by Chambers and Partners for Real Estate Law – Band 4 (2025-2026)
• Recognized in Legal Elite, for Real Estate Law (2024-2026)
• Firm Recruiting Committee
  • Member – 2008 to Present
  • Chairman – 2017 to Present

Representative Transactions

• 56,000 sf suburban office campus – Durham, NC (acquisition counsel)
• Full-service restaurant chain – multiple locations nationwide (lead leasing counsel)
• 300-unit multi-family development – Fuquay-Varina, NC (acquisition and development counsel)
• Commercial retail development – Holly Springs, NC (acquisition and development counsel)
• Midtown square mixed-use project – downtown Cary, NC (acquisition, development and leasing counsel)
• Memorial Commons shopping center – Greenville, NC (acquisition, development and leasing counsel)
• 46,000 sf suburban medical office building – Raleigh, NC (acquisition, financing and leasing counsel)
• Erwin Terrace mixed use project – Durham, NC (financing, leasing and development counsel)
• 125,000 sf mixed-use portfolio – Durham, NC (acquisition, leasing and disposition counsel)
• Grocery-anchored shopping centers – multiple locations (acquisition and leasing counsel)

Community Engagement

Read and Feed

• Board of Directors – 2018 to Present

Viii Oaks Philanthropic Group

• Secretary – 2015
• Vice President – 2016 to Present
• Golf Committee Chair – 2016