VALDA D. STATON

I am a seasoned real estate professional who provides concise, practical, and timely advice and counsel to real estate developers, general contractors, commercial property owners and managers, lease portfolio managers, financial institutions, non-profits and municipalities. I draw from my thorough and comprehensive knowledge base to guide clients through the many facets of real estate purchase, management, construction, ownership, building code compliance, zoning compliance, divestiture and disposition.

My practice focuses on developing, structuring, negotiating, and finalizing purchase and lease agreements, managing complex public and private partnership projects, and the development of relationships to assist in the furtherance of grant programs, corporate giving programs and foundational giving.

Prior to joining MWH Law Group, I served as outside counsel managing commercial lease portfolios as well as in-house counsel to a Chicago-based community bank, oversaw grant research and application preparation, managed strategic funding programs, and developed marketing initiatives. As Director of the City of Gary Indiana’s Department of Redevelopment, I played key roles in the establishment and evolution of public-private partnerships, accounting oversight within non-profits, and advancing the development of a system to manage the City’s database of property holdings and the City’s divestiture of properties, including oversight of approved demolitions.

1. MWH Law Group LLP, Special Counsel, July 2021 — Present
2. Staton Legal Services, Principal, May 2016 — Present
3. Seaway Bank and Trust, In-House Legal Counsel, August 2015 — May 2016
4. City of Gary Indiana, Director of Redevelopment, February 2012 — July 2015
5. The Lewis Group, Of Counsel, September 2003 — January 2012
6. Neal & Leroy, LLP, Senior Counsel-Real Estate Department, August 1993 — August 2003
7. Illinois Medical District Commission, Acting General Counsel, 1996 — 1997 (secondment)
8. Chapman and Cutler, Associate- Banking Group, 1989 — 1993
9. Illinois Medical District Commission, Interim Counsel, 1992 — 1993 (secondment)
10. Mayer, Brown Rose & May LLP, Associate-Real Estate Department, 1988 — 1991
11. Sonnenschein Carlin Nath & Rosenthal, Associate-Real Estate Department, 1984 — 1996

1. Chicago Bar Association
2. Cook County Bar Association

Deeply Rooted Dance Alliance, Advisory Board