Mimi Lines

Mimi M. Lines

Counsel

Mimi M. Lines

Counsel

  • Overview

    Biography

    Mimi Lines, a member of the firm’s Real Estate + Development Group, has more than 35 years of experience as a commercial real estate lawyer working on all types of real estate transactions. She focuses her practice on acquisitions, sales, real estate financings, title and leasing.

    Real Estate Transactions

    Mimi regularly represents landlords, tenants, buyers, sellers, owners, and lenders in commercial real estate transactions. She has represented a variety of clients, including developers, manufacturers, private secondary schools and colleges, quasi-public agencies, national and local lenders, nonprofit organizations, healthcare companies, hospitals, auto dealerships, telecommunications companies, and fiduciaries.

    She negotiates purchase and sale agreements; supervises due diligence work related to zoning, title and environmental issues; and advises corporate clients on real estate issues involving the purchase and sale of businesses.

    Mimi recently represented a major Connecticut nonprofit organization in the negotiation of its lease for 20,000 square feet of space in a downtown office building. She handled the acquisition of a 31,000 square foot building for use as a residential facility for patients participating in an outpatient treatment program. While representing a public library, she negotiated a shared use agreement with a state university.

    Real Estate Financing

    Mimi handles commercial real estate financings on behalf of lenders and borrowers, with a focus on business finance transactions. She drafts and negotiates commercial mortgage loan documents and provides advice regarding Connecticut mortgage laws to lenders involved in multistate secured lending transactions.

    Mimi has extensive experience with handling commercial real estate financings. She represented a national lender in the financing of three affordable housing projects in California, and closed the financing of a 300,000 square foot multi-tenant industrial warehouse and distribution facility.

    Mimi was selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list from 2006 to 2013. She is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Real Estate Law since 2017. Mimi is a frequent public speaker, covering topics like commercial leasing, commercial real estate issues, and title searching.

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

      • Represented major Connecticut nonprofit organization in connection with the negotiation of a lease for 20,000 square feet of space in a downtown office building.

      • Closed the acquisition of a 31,000 square foot building for use as a residential facility for patients participating in an outpatient treatment program. 

      • Advised client in connection with the conveyance of a Connecticut Transfer Act site and the transfer of environmental liabilities through the use of a specialized environmental insurance product and an environmental escrow. 

      • Negotiated an unusual partnership arrangement between a public library and a state university in which the university agreed to renovate and use space in the library for classrooms, a library collection, and study areas, as part of the relocation of its downtown satellite campus. The unusual arrangement is designed to promote the idea of a dynamic urban campus with increased foot traffic among buildings within walking distance of each other. 

      • Represented a major national lender in the financing of three affordable housing projects in California.

      • Negotiated an option to purchase real estate for the developer of a power plant in eastern Connecticut.

      • Represented national lender in connection with a $4.6 million loan for the construction of an automobile dealership.

      • Represented a Fortune 100 company in the sale of a portion of its research and development facility to a biotech start up company.

      • Served as local counsel for a borrower in connection with a so called “TIC roll-up” transaction in which tenants-in-common owners of property contributed real estate to a single entity formed to own the property.

    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      Connecticut Bar Association
      Real Property Section

      Real Estate Finance Association
    • Honors + Awards

      Honors + Awards

      Selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list from 2006 to 2013.

      AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated in Martindale-Hubbell™ in the area of Real Estate (Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings is a trademark. AV Preeminent is a certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc.)

      Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Real Estate Law since 2017.

    • Community Involvement

      Community Involvement

      Gateway Community College Foundation
      Board Member (2009 - present)
      Board of Directors Chairperson

      University of Connecticut Law School Alumni Association
      Board Member (2003 - 2013)
      President (2010 - 2011)

      Neighborhood Music School
      Board Member (2012 - present)
  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Publications

      Publications

      "Owner Who Ignores ’Boilerplate’ Language in Listing Agreement Pays a Steep Price," published in New England Real Estate Journal (Fall 2003)

      "A Tenant's Right to Purchase Leased Premises," published in New England Real Estate Journal (7/2001)
      • » more info

        • A Tenant's Right to Purchase Leased Premises

        "A Tenant's Right to Purchase Leased Premises," published in New England Real Estate Journal, authored by Mimi M. Lines (7/2001)
        A summary of the pros and cons of options, rights of first refusal, and rights of first offer in leases.

    • Presentations

      Presentations

      "Connecticut Real Property Law Review," at Connecticut Bar Association Annual Meeting (2008 - 2013)

      "Real Estate Issues for Nonprofits," presented for the National Pro Bono Partnership (2/2008)

      "Real Estate Law: Advanced Issues and Answers," at National Business Institute (11/2007)

      "Real Estate Issues Related to Funding Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts," at Compact Sophisticated Estate Planning VI, Connecticut Bar Association (1/2006)

      "Title Examination in Connecticut," at Lorman Education Services (9/2006)

    • News

      R+C in the News

      • January 28, 2019

        Robinson+Cole Hosts UConn Law Alumni Association “Breakfast Brief”

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          Robinson+Cole Hosts UConn Law Alumni Association “Breakfast Brief”

          The firm hosted a “Breakfast Brief” program in the Hartford office on January 18, 2019. Presented by the University of Connecticut School of Law (UConn Law) Alumni Association, the program is a part of a new morning series that offers networking and education. During the Breakfast Brief, Professor Sara Bronin discussed ways in which UConn Law students and faculty are impacting historic preservation efforts in Hartford through her courses in property, land use, and historic preservation law, and highlighted some upcoming changes that have been proposed in the campus master plan. The Robinson+Cole lawyers who attended their alma mater’s program were Mimi M. Lines, Linda L. Morkan, Denis J. O'Malley, Je'Quana S. Orr, Keisha S. Palmer, Emilee Mooney Scott, and Glenn A. Santoro. Linda currently serves on the board of directors of the UConn Law Alumni Association. View event photos.

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      • August 20, 2018

        52 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019

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          52 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019

          52 Robinson+Cole lawyers were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019 (Copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

          See a complete listing of all Robinson+Cole's ranked lawyers.

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      • October 4, 2016

        Robinson+Cole Sponsors Common Ground's Feast from the Fields Event

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          Robinson+Cole Sponsors Common Ground's Feast from the Fields Event

          Robinson+Cole was a sponsor of the Ninth Annual Feast from the Fields, held on September 17, 2016, in New Haven, Connecticut. This event celebrates community, sustainability, and the harvest season, and supports the mission and work of Common Ground, an organization dedicated to cultivating "habits of healthy living and sustainable environmental practice among a diverse community of children, families, and adults." Common Ground provides an environment of learning and leadership, engaging all members of the community, including elementary, middle, and high school students; the general public; and environmental practitioners. Over $77,000  was raised from this year's Feast from the Fields. The funds will help support Common Ground and its programs.

          Robinson+Cole Real Estate + Development lawyer Mimi M. Lines and Construction Group lawyer Gregory R. Faulkner, along with his wife, Donna, attended the feast. Robinson+Cole represented Common Ground in the drafting and negotiation of the design and construction agreements for the construction of its new facility in New Haven.

      • March 9, 2016

        Robinson+Cole Women's Committee Sponsors Event with Connecticut Chief Justice

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          Robinson+Cole Women's Committee Sponsors Event with Connecticut Chief Justice

          The Women's Committee of Robinson+Cole, along with several other law firms, sponsored the Connecticut Women's Council (CWC) event "An Inside View of our State Supreme Court with Chief Justice Chase Rogers," held on March 3, 2016, at the Old State House in Hartford, Connecticut. The keynote guest was Chief Justice Rogers, the state's second female chief justice. Chief Justice Rogers provided insight on how cases reach the Supreme Court as well as on how they are deliberated and decided. In attendance were firm lawyers Mimi M. Lines, Andrea Donovan Napp, and Meaghan Mary Cooper, along with numerous R+C alums.

      • October 17, 2014

        Robinson+Cole Sponsors Feast from the Fields 2014

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          Robinson+Cole Sponsors Feast from the Fields 2014

          Robinson+Cole was a sponsor of the Seventh Annual Feast from the Fields, held on September 27, 2014, in New Haven, Connecticut. This event celebrates community, sustainability, and the harvest season and supports the mission and work of Common Ground, an organization dedicated to cultivating "habits of healthy living and sustainable environmental practice among a diverse community of children, families, and adults." Common Ground provides an environment of learning and leadership, engaging all members of the community, including elementary, middle, and high school students; the general public; and environmental practitioners. The funds raised from this year's Feast from the Fields, a total of $41,300, will help support Common Ground and its programs.

          R+C real estate lawyer Mimi M. Lines attended the feast. Robinson+Cole represented Common Ground in the drafting and negotiation of the design and construction agreements for the construction of its new facility in New Haven.

      • February 27, 2013

        Mimi Lines Elected to Neighborhood Music School's Board of Directors

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          Mimi Lines Elected to Neighborhood Music School's Board of Directors

          Real estate attorney Mimi M. Lines was elected to the Board of Directors of Neighborhood Music School, one of the country’s oldest and largest independent music schools. Based in New Haven, Neighborhood Music School provides high-quality instruction in music and dance to students of all ages, backgrounds, economic means, and levels of ability. Ms. Lines is a student at the school and a member of its Development Oversight Committee.
      • October 20, 2010

        Real Estate Attorney Gives Back to Alma Mater

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          Real Estate Attorney Gives Back to Alma Mater

          Mimi M. Lines, counsel in the firm's Real Estate Practice Group, was elected president of the University of Connecticut (UConn) Law School Alumni Association at its October 13, 2010 annual meeting. She has served on the alumni association board since 2002. More than 50 Robinson & Cole lawyers graduated from UConn Law School, and the firm generously supports the law school’s mission.

      R+C News Releases

      • August 20, 2020

        61 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021

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          61 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021

          61 Robinson+Cole lawyers were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021. Of the 61 lawyers from across the firm’s practice groups and offices named to the list, 46 are from Connecticut. The firm continues to have the highest number of recognized lawyers in the state. Robinson+Cole also has the highest number of listed lawyers in Connecticut in the areas of environmental law and insurance law.

          Additionally, the following six lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Michael R. Enright in Litigation – Bankruptcy, Gregory R. Faulkner in Litigation – Construction, Virginia E. McGarrity in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Joey Lee Miranda in Environmental Law, James P. Ray in Litigation – Environmental and Theodore J. Tucci in Health Care Law. Michael S. Giaimo was also named a Best Lawyers® 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” in Boston, Massachusetts, in the area of Land Use and Zoning Law.

          The inaugural edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch was also released, of which 17 total Robinson+Cole lawyers are listed in. The “Ones to Watch” recognition is given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. Read more in the press release.

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      • August 15, 2019

        57 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020

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          57 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020

          57 Robinson+Cole lawyers were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020. Of the 57 lawyers from across the firm’s practice groups and offices named to the list, 44 are from Connecticut. The firm continues to have the highest number of recognized lawyers in the state. Robinson+Cole also has the highest number of listed lawyers in Connecticut in the areas of environmental law, insurance law, and litigation-construction.

          Additionally, the following four lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Thomas P. Cody in Real Estate Law, Michael R. Enright in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, John B. Lynch Jr. in Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Theodore J. Tucci in Insurance Law. Kathleen M. Porter was also named a Best Lawyers® 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” in Boston, Massachusetts, in the area of Information Technology Law. Read more in the press release.

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      • August 15, 2017

        Fifty-Nine Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018

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          Fifty-Nine Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018

          Fifty-nine Robinson+Cole lawyers were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018 (Copyright 2017 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Of the 59 lawyers from across the firm’s practice groups and offices named to the list, 49 are from Connecticut. The firm continues to have the highest number of recognized lawyers in the state.

          Additionally, the following six lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2018 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Dennis C. Cavanaugh in Litigation – Construction; Stephen E. Goldman in Insurance Law; Stuart D. Rosen in Litigation – Banking and Finance; Edward J. Samorajczyk Jr. in Securities / Capital Markets Law; William T. Sellay in Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Theodore J. Tucci in Health Care Law.

          See a complete listing of all Robinson+Cole's ranked lawyers in the press release.

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      • August 15, 2016

        Robinson+Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Lawyer Count in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017

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          Robinson+Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Lawyer Count in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017

          Robinson+Cole was again recognized as having the highest number of Connecticut lawyers selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2017 (Copyright 2016 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Across the firm’s practice groups and offices, 57 lawyers were named to this year’s list, including 47 in Connecticut.

          Additionally, the following four lawyers were named the Best Lawyers® 2017 “Lawyer of the Year” in Hartford, Connecticut, in the noted practice areas: Dennis C. Cavanaugh in Construction Law; Judith M. Keppelman  in Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Linda L. Morkan in Appellate Practice; and Edward J. Samorajczyk Jr. in Corporate Law.

          See a complete listing of all Robinson+Cole's ranked lawyers in the news release.

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      • June 21, 2013

        Local Organizations Recognize Robinson & Cole’s Pro Bono Service

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          Local Organizations Recognize Robinson & Cole’s Pro Bono Service

          Robinson & Cole cultivates a culture of pro bono service among its lawyers through the leadership of Edward J. Heath, pro bono partner and chair of the firm's Pro Bono Committee, evident by recent honors numerous lawyers have received. Mr. Heath received the Connecticut Law Tribune's Pro Bono award, Alaine C. Doolan received the Connecticut Bar Association's Honorable Anthony V. DeMayo Pro Bono Award, and 33 lawyers made the CBA's 2012 Pro Bono Honor Roll.

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      • May 23, 2013

        Robinson & Cole Expands Rapidly Growing Private Equity/M&A Practice

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          Robinson & Cole Expands Rapidly Growing Private Equity/M&A Practice

          Robinson & Cole continues to expand its private equity/mergers and acquisitions (M&A) practice with recent hires in its New York City, Boston, and Connecticut offices. On May 20, 2013, the firm completed the relocation of its New York City office to the Chrysler East Building to accommodate its continued growth.
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      • October 22, 2012

        Super Lawyers® Names 49 Robinson & Cole Attorneys to 2012 List and Recognizes 26 as Rising Stars

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          Super Lawyers® Names 49 Robinson & Cole Attorneys to 2012 List and Recognizes 26 as Rising Stars

          A total of 49 Robinson & Cole attorneys were named Super Lawyers® in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island for 2012. The Super Lawyers® designation is based on regional balloting by attorneys, third-party research, and a peer review process encompassing myriad practice areas.

          In addition, 26 attorneys at the firm were recognized as "Rising Stars." Read an explanation of the Super Lawyers methodology here.

          Recognized attorneys and their areas of practice can be read in the full press release.

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