Kenneth P. "Pete" Ezell Jr.

Pete also serves as bond counsel in conduit tax-exempt bond financings, including qualified 501(c)(3) bonds and low and moderate income housing bonds. 

Pete has been a frequent lecturer at legal seminars and workshops.

• Representation of a global automotive manufacturer in negotiating, structuring and documenting economic incentives granted by the State of Tennessee for an electric vehicle assembly plant.

• Served as bond counsel on behalf of a commercial real estate investment and development firm in the issuance of more than $800 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance the development of a low- and moderate-income housing facilities.

• Served as bond counsel for the issuance of tax-exempt qualified 501(c)(3) bonds in the aggregate principal amount of $100 million, the proceeds of which were loaned to a private university for the construction of new facilities.

• Represented a bank in the extension of $25 million in loans to a municipal government to finance improvements to sports/entertainment facilities.

• Represented a client in the sale of a portfolio of medical office buildings in Knoxville, Tennessee, with an aggregate value of approximately $65 million.

• Represented a client in the acquisition of a portfolio of medical office buildings in Nashville, Tennessee with an aggregate value of approximately $80 million.

• Represented a client in the acquisition of an orthopedic hospital and connected medical office building in Indianapolis, Indiana.

• Represented a client in the acquisition, leasing and subsequent sale of a 350,000-square-foot commercial office building in Brentwood, Tennessee.

• Assisted a client in the development and financing of a hotel/office/retail mixed use project in Nashville, Tennessee.

• Represented a manufacturer of cheese products in a payment in-lieu-of tax transaction for a $200 million manufacturing facility.

• Represented a health care real estate investment trust in the acquisition of medical office buildings in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a transaction value of $35 million.

• Fellow – American College of Real Estate Lawyers
• Board of Directors and Vice President – Working Group on Legal Opinions Foundation (2006 – 2020)
• Named to the 2024 and 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers
• Listed in Chambers USA as a leading Real Estate lawyer in Tennessee since 2006 
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America^® for Real Estate Law since 2007; Land Use and Zoning Law since 2008; Public Finance Law since 2011; Commercial Finance Law since 2012; Commercial Transactions/UCC Law since 2013; Economic Development since 2020 
• Named the Best Lawyers^® 2025 and 2021 Economic Development Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
• Named the Best Lawyers^® 2022 Land Use and Zoning Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
• Named the Best Lawyers^® 2020, 2018, and 2016 Commercial Transactions/UCC Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
• Named the Best Lawyers^® 2019, 2017, and 2014 Commercial Finance Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Nashville
• Selected to Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2006 – 2023; named among top 100 attorneys in Tennessee and top 50 Nashville attorneys 
• Named "Best of the Bar," Nashville Business Journal (2004 – 2007, 2011 – 2013, 2015)
• Listed in The International Who's Who of Real Estate Lawyers (2013, 2020)
• Past Chair – Committee on Legal Opinions in Real Estate Transactions; Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the American Bar Association
• Chair – Joint Committee on Legal Opinions, Tennessee Bar Association
• Past Chair – Attorney's Opinions Committee of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers
• Member – National Association of Bond Lawyers
• Member – Nashville, Tennessee and American Bar Associations

• Board of Directors – Nashville Sports Council (Chairman, 2011 – 2013)
• Board of Directors – Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America
• Recipient – Silver Beaver Award from the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America
• Recipient – National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award from the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America

• Lieutenant, U.S. Navy Reserve (Active Duty 1972 – 1976)

• Co-Reporter – "Statement of Opinion Practices," 74 The Business Lawyer 801 (2019)
• Drafting Committee – "Uniform Commercial Code Opinions in Real Estate Finance Transactions," Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal (Fall 2018 – Winter 2019)
• Drafting Committee – "Local Counsel Opinion Letters in Real Estate Finance Transactions," Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal (Fall 2016)
• Drafting Committee – "The Real Estate Finance Opinion Report of 2012," Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal (Fall 2012)
• Chair, Drafting Committee – "Tennessee Opinion Report," Tennessee Bar Association (2011)
• Co-author – "The Remedies Opinion and Customary Diligence – The Real Estate Secured Transaction Approach: Is it Consistent with Customary Non-Real Estate Legal Opinion Practice?," 43 Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal 1 (2008)
• Drafting Committee – "Real Estate Opinion Letter Guidelines," 38 Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal 241 (2003)

• "Recent Developments in Legal Opinions," Cumberland School of Law, Birmingham, Alabama (2017)
• "Real Estate Legal Opinions," Working Group on Legal Opinions, New York, New York (2016)
• "Real Estate Finance Opinion Report," ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Section ECLE (2013)
• "Real Estate Finance Opinion Report," American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Washington, D.C. (2013)
• "What's In Your Opinion," American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Naples, Florida (2013)
• "Annotated Real Estate Finance Opinion Workshop," American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Tucson, Arizona (2011)
• "Third Party Legal Opinions," Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville, Tennessee (2011)
• "The ABC's of Closing Opinions," ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Section Young Lawyers Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah (2008)
• "Personal Property Security Interest Opinions," ABA Tax & Real Property Joint Meeting, San Francisco, California (2005)
• "Local Counsel Opinions," ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, San Diego, California (2004)
• "Local Counsel Opinions," ABA Annual Meeting, New York, New York (2002)

• Baker Donelson Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 Listing (August 20, 2026)
• Chambers USA Ranks 101 Baker Donelson Attorneys in 2026 Edition (June 4, 2026)
• Baker Donelson Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 Listing (August 21, 2025)
• Chambers USA Ranks 97 Baker Donelson Attorneys in 2025 Edition (June 5, 2025)
• Baker Donelson Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 Listing (August 15, 2024)
• Chambers USA Ranks 88 Baker Donelson Attorneys in 2024 Edition (June 6, 2024)
• 44 Baker Donelson Attorneys Named to 2023 Mid-South Super Lawyers; 32 Named to Mid-South Rising Stars (November 28, 2023)
• Baker Donelson Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^® 2024 Listing (August 17, 2023)
• Chambers USA Ranks 80 Baker Donelson Attorneys in 2023 Edition (June 2, 2023)
• 55 Baker Donelson Attorneys Named to 2022 Mid-South Super Lawyers; 30 Named to Mid-South Rising Stars (November 29, 2022)
• Baker Donelson Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America® 2023 Listing (August 18, 2022)
• 79 Baker Donelson Attorneys Ranked in Chambers USA 2022 (June 6, 2022)
• 61 Baker Donelson Attorneys Named to 2021 Mid-South Super Lawyers; 34 Named to Mid-South Rising Stars (November 30, 2021)