Chris McDonagh advises and represents clients in real estate, financing and business transactions in Arizona, Florida and Mexico and related litigation and alternative dispute resolution in Arizona and Florida. He emphasizes practical solutions to achieve his clients’ goals and protect their interests.
- His dispute resolution practice includes representing parties in contract, business and real estate disputes; investors’ claims against company management; and creditors in Bankruptcy Court (including claims that debts are non-dischargeable in bankruptcy).
- His real estate practice includes commercial and residential real estate acquisitions and sales, leases, financing, and workouts.
- His business practice includes forming and advising business entities (LLCs, corporations, and partnerships) and their owners, management and investors, including small and medium businesses and enterprises (SMEs).
- He also reviews, drafts and negotiates contracts for businesses and individuals. He represents borrowers and lender in financing transactions and disputes.
- His financing practice includes having served as counsel to borrowers, lenders, issuers, underwriters, guarantors, and trustees, or as bond counsel, in taxable and tax-exempt financings totaling more than $750,000,000.
Before moving to Tucson in 1996, he worked at law firms in Luxembourg City, Los Angeles, and New York City. In 2021, Mr. McDonagh moved to Sarasota, Florida to expand the firm’s practice to Florida while continuing to maintain the firm’s office in Tucson. Mr. McDonagh is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubble.
Mr. McDonagh can be reached at (520) 798-5233, (941) 248-7654 or cmcdonagh@ravlaw.com.
Education
- University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (Tucson, Arizona)
LL.M. International Trade Law, 2004
Thesis: “Wedding Securitization of U.S. Loans for Mexican Residential Property with Securitization of Mexican Construction Bridge Loans – Something Old, Something New” - University of Southern California Law Center (Los Angeles, California)
J.D., 1994
Associate Editor, Southern California Law Review, 1993-1994 - Duke University (Durham, North Carolina)
B.A., 1989
Economics and Political Science
Publications
- What’s the Risk in Not Having Your Mexican Title or Bank Trust Yet? Possibly Losing Your Entire Investment, Arizona Journal of International Legal Practice (February 2010).
- What’s the Risk in Not Having Your Mexican Title or Bank Trust Yet? Possibly Losing Your Entire Investment, The Real Estate Law Journal of the State Bar of Arizona (Spring 2009).
- Luxembourg, Offshore Trusts: The Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business — Special Issue (1995).
- Valuing a Target’s Ability to Compete in the Market, Mergers & Acquisitions (Sept./Oct. 1995).
Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, “Fair Housing and Premises Liability,” Arizona Real Estate Investors Association (AZREIA) (Tucson, Arizona), August 11, 2015
- Speaker, “Disclosures in Arizona Real Estate Transactions,” Arizona Real Estate Investors Association (AZREIA) (Tucson, Arizona), May 13, 2014
- Speaker, “Leases: an Ounce of Prevention” and “Tenant and Landlord Rights and Obligations,” 7th Annual Landlord-Tenant Law Seminar (“Surviving in a Difficulty Economy”) (Marriott Tucson University Park, Tucson, Arizona), September 19, 2012
- Speaker, “Regulation of Ownership by Foreign Nationals in Sonora and Arizona,” Arizona-Mexico Commission Cross Border Real Estate Symposium (JW Marriott Starr Pass, Tucson, Arizona), June 6, 2012
- Chairman and Speaker, “Current Issues in Mexican Real Estate,” State Bar of Arizona CLE By the Sea (Hotel del Coronado, Coronado Island, California), July 15, 2010
- Chairman and Speaker, “Current Issues in Arizona Real Estate,” State Bar of Arizona CLE By the Sea (Hotel del Coronado, Coronado Island, California), July 16, 2010
- Co-Chair and Speaker, “Current Issues in Mexican Real Estate,” State Bar of Arizona Real Property Section – Southern Counties (Arizona Inn, Tucson, Arizona), June 2009
- Co-Chair and Speaker, “Current Issues in Mexican Real Estate,” State Bar of Arizona Real Property Section (University Club, Phoenix, Arizona), March 2009
Teaching
- University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (Tucson, Arizona)
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Spring 2005
- Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing (Law 603h) and Persuasive Communication (Law 653a)
Community Activities
- Member, Sarasota Real Estate Investors Association (SREIA) (2021)
- Member, Arizona Real Estate Investors Association (AZREIA) (2012-2019)
- Director and Treasurer, Continental Reserve Blocks 2 and 3 Homeowners Association (2004-05)
- Director, Young Lawyers Division of the Pima County Bar Association (1998-2003)
- Co-Chair, Community Law Week (Young Lawyers Division of the PCBA) (1999-2002)
- Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity and United Housing Project (1997-2002)
- Volunteer, Beacon Foundation Pro Bono Guardianship Program (1999, 2000, 2003)
- Volunteer, Lawyers for Literacy (1998-2000)
- Tucson Lacrosse Club (2001-2005; 2017-2021)
* Chris McDonagh is rated AV® by the Martindale-Hubbell National Legal Directory®. AV is the highest rating awarded to law firms and lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell. AV® and AV Preeminent® are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.