Jemima McCullum is a Partner in the firm’s Seattle office and a member of the Real Estate practice group. With more than 25 years of legal experience, Ms. McCullum offers clients a deep and well‑rounded understanding of issues facing property owners, developers, landlords, businesses, financial institutions, private lenders, and other stakeholders throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond.
Her work encompasses the full spectrum of commercial real estate, including commercial leasing, the acquisition and sale of real property, financing, development projects, and general counsel services for her corporate clients.
Ms. McCullum advises on all aspects of leasing, subleasing, and brokerage transactions for landlords and tenants across office, retail, industrial, and other commercial environments. She manages large, sophisticated leasing and purchase-and-sale matters and navigates unique issues arising in office, retail, medical, manufacturing, multifamily, and mixed‑use projects. Her guidance often includes transaction structuring, tax considerations, entity formation, due diligence, entitlements, financing, permitting, construction matters, and issues that arise during buildout, lease‑up, pre‑sale, and resale.
She also has significant experience across every stage of real estate development. Ms. McCullum represents developers, landowners, and investors in a wide range of projects, including residential plats, apartments, condominiums, retail and restaurant developments, golf courses, hotels, industrial and manufacturing facilities, automotive uses, medical and retirement facilities, hospitals, schools, universities, recreational properties, office buildings, grocery and strip‑mall centers, town centers, and various mixed‑use developments. Her work frequently involves evaluating environmental concerns, surveys, title and zoning issues, construction contracts, liens, bonds, tax matters, and more. She also has substantial experience with public‑private partnerships, including development agreements, restrictive covenants, easements, access agreements, tax‑exempt bond financing, and related documentation.
Additionally, Ms. McCullum provides sophisticated counsel on finance matters for borrowers involved in senior debt and mezzanine bridge loans, construction financing, credit facilities, warehouse lending, leasehold financing, tax‑exempt and taxable bond transactions, and private loans secured by real estate.
Representing developers with owners association formation, entity formation, condominium formation, construction contract review, permit application review, acquisition, financing, buildout, and sale
Representing for-profit companies and nonprofit corporations in an outside general counsel role, together with specialized assistance with regard to financing (and especially tax-exempt bond financing and opinion letters for nonprofits), leases, acquisition contracts, public-private partnership agreements, easements, vendor contracts, endowments, and other day-to-day operational matters
Representing businesses with a wide variety of business contract review, strategic advice, real estate leasing, financing, and acquisition or sale
Representing high net worth individuals with personal, family, and business transactions that involve real estate, tax-deferred exchanges, and other considerations
Representing homeowner associations with various corporate governance matters, enforcement, and governing documents
Representing borrowers in loan transactions involving real estate collateral, whether it involves construction loans, bridge financing, new loans, refinances, loan modifications, loan workouts, and advising clients on foreclosure considerations, guarantor pursuit, and post-judgment collection
Admissions
Washington
Washington State Courts
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
Education
Seattle University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
University of Washington, B.A. in Geography and Urban Planning, magna cum laude
Named a “Fellow,” by the American College of Mortgage Attorneys,™ for “Real Estate Finance,” 2026 – Present
Named “Top Rated Lawyer” with “Superb Attorney” rating, by Martindale-AVVO, 2023 – Present
Rated “Top 1% of America’s Most Honored Lawyers,” by the American Registry, 2015 – 2023, inclusive
Named, “Top Woman Attorney,” by Seattle Magazine,™ for “Real Estate Law,” 2013
Named among the “Top Women Attorneys,” by Washington Super Lawyers,™ 2012 and 2013
Rated as an “AV Preeminent Attorney,” by Martindale Hubbell,™ for “Legal Ability and Ethical Standards,” 2011 – Present
Rated “Excellent” as an attorney, by Avvo,™ 2011- Present
Named “Partner of the Year,” by Gordon Thomas Honeywell LLP, 2010
Named “Top 40 under Forty in South Puget Sound,” by “The Business Examiner,™ 2009
Named “Rising Star,” by Washington Super Lawyers,™ for “Real Estate Transactions,” 2006, and 2008-2015, inclusive
Named “Chapter Member of the Year,” by Washington Women Lawyers, 2006
American Bar Association
Washington Bar Association
Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association
King County Bar Association
Tacoma Pierce County Economic Development Board Member, 2023-Present
Tacoma Art Museum Board Member, Board of Governance Committee Member & Audit Committee Member, 2011-2017 & 2023-Present
WSBA RPPT Executive Committee, 2019-2020
Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainer Region Board Member & Finance Committee Member, 2008-2014
Arts Fund Member, 2007-2008
Highline College Foundation Board Member and Finance Committee Member, 2004-2010
Pierce County Washington Women Lawyers Board Member, Past President, and WWL State Board Liaison, 2002-2011
