Kymn Harp is a Shareholder in the Firm’s Chicago office and a member of the Real Estate practice group. Mr. Harp has over 40 years of experience representing investors, developers, business owners, and other stakeholders in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions and development. He applies a practical approach to project and transaction management through clear identification of transaction objectives and challenges, focused due diligence and creative problem-solving, and personal hands-on transaction management. Mr. Harp understands that the objective is not merely to get to closing – but to enable clients to realize their transaction objectives after closing.

Mr. Harp has comprehensive experience negotiating and drafting development agreements including public-private partnerships, air-rights development agreements, limited liability company (LLC) agreements, private-placement memoranda (PPMs) for real estate investment, IRC Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges, tenant-in-common (TIC) agreements, reciprocal easement agreements, commercial and industrial leases, forbearance agreements, and other essential agreements for development and operation of commercial real estate.

Mr. Harp is also actively engaged in the complementary practice of business management law, representing businesses, and business owners and investors.

Utilizing a team approach, Mr. Harp works with construction attorneys, tax attorneys, and others as appropriate to assure a full-service solution to each client’s unique and sometimes intricate transaction challenges. Mr. Harp often assists commercial litigators handling commercial real estate litigation and is an experienced testifying expert witness in real estate disputes.  Additionally, Mr. Harp has extensive experience handling distressed loan workouts involving commercial real estate collateral, and investor-side commercial, industrial, multi-family, and mixed-use condominium deconversions.

Widely recognized as an industry thought-leader, Kymn is a frequent author and speaker for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) and the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA). He has published numerous articles and white papers on real estate topics, many of which can be found at his blog, Harp-OnThis.com, and two books on commercial real estate including Illinois Commercial Real Estate – Due Diligence to Closing, with Checklists, 2016 edition.

Awards and Honors

  • 30+ Years-Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating of AV Preeminent
  • Illinois Super Lawyers, Real Estate and Business Transactions-2007-Present

Professional Involvement

  • Member, Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) Real Estate Law Section Council
  • ICSC 20-Year Member
  • Member, Indiana State Bar
  • Member, State Bar of New Mexico

    • Publication

      Commercial Landlord-Tenant Practice 2023 Edition

      January 1st, 2023

  • Lead development counsel for the ground-up development of a 14,000-person capacity sports and entertainment arena in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.
  • Lead counsel for the redevelopment and modernization of the mixed-use commercial, entertainment, and hospitality complex at iconic Marina City in downtown Chicago, Illinois.
  • Lead counsel in the historic preservation redevelopment of a micro-brewery in Chicago’s historic Motor Row entertainment district.
  • Lead counsel in the ground-up development, including capital raise, for a twenty-one story mixed-use retail, office, and luxury apartment project in the Streeterville medical district in downtown Chicago.
  • Lead counsel representing the Seller of a restaurant chain with 36 locations spread over 14 states.

Mr. Harp earned his J.D. from UIC (JMLS) Law School. He earned his B.A. in Speech and Economics from Wabash College.

  • Illinois Supreme Court (1978)
  • Indiana Supreme Court (1986)
  • State Bar of New Mexico (2001; inactive)
  • S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1978)
  • S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (1986)
  • S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (1986)
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (1985)

Additional Specialties

Business Ownership and Management
IRC Section 1031 Exchanges
Vertical Mixed-Use and Shopping Centers
Commercial Litigation Strategy