Polsinelli Shughart welcomes Clifton M. Dugas II as a shareholder in the firm’s Dallas office. Dugas concentrates his practice on real estate transactional, real estate finance, asset management, and loan workout, enforcement, restructuring and modification matters. Prior to joining Polsinelli Shughart, Dugas served as general counsel for Lantern Asset Management in Dallas, Texas.

“I was attracted to Polsinelli Shughart’s national footprint and its aggressively competitive rate structure,” said Dugas. “It’s exciting to be part of the recently established and growing Dallas office and I look forward to collaborating with Polsinelli attorneys in Texas and nationwide.”

In addition, Dugas’ practice includes assisting clients in single and portfolio loan acquisitions and sales, and represents owners and developers of raw land, office buildings, retail centers and other income-producing properties in acquisitions, financing, development and disposition, as well as both landlord and tenants in retail, office and industrial leasing transactions.

Dugas earned his law degree from Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1996, and earned his B.S. in Finance, magna cum laude, at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1993. He is admitted to the bars of Texas and Louisiana. Dugas is the president of The Alliance for Justice Foundation, and has served on the board of advisors of the Commercial Real Estate Distressed Assets Association (CREDAA).

Dugas joins the expanding Dallas office which opened in May 2011 and is located in Saint Ann Court. The office originated with three attorneys bringing corporate, health care and private equity capabilities to the firm in Texas. The firm’s office in Saint Ann Court has accommodations for 38 attorneys and staff. Currently, there are 11.

Polsinelli Shughart has a prior Texas connection. Former Dallas Congressman Martin Frost is a shareholder in the Washington, D.C. office of Polsinelli Shughart. Frost represented the Dallas-Ft. Worth area in the U.S. House of Representatives for 26 years (1979-2005) prior to joining the firm. During his time in Congress, Frost served as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus (the third ranking leadership position for House Democrats) and was dean of the Texas delegation in his last several terms in Congress.

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