Corporate Law Land Use and Zoning Law Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Project Finance Law Public Finance Law Real Estate Law
Charles A. Landry
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1993 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Charles Landry is a partner and member of Fishman Haygood’s Business Section. Charles concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate development, real estate finance, land use and zoning.
He has represented numerous parties in a wide range of real estate transactions, which include residential developments (including Traditional Neighborhood Developments), office buildings, shopping malls and centers, hotels and medical facilities, golf course communities, and industrial developments. Charles is also a leader in public-private partnerships in Louisiana, having represented parties in numerous complex projects.
Charles is widely recognized as one of the leading land use attorneys in Louisiana. He was a founding member and has served as the Chairperson of the East Baton Rouge Zoning Advisory Committee from its formation in 2003 to 2017.
He has also represented governmental entities in the drafting of zoning legislation. Charles represented the City of Lafayette to draft its traditional neighborhood development ordinance. He also represented the Parish of Ascension to draft its planned unit development ordinance.
Charles has been very involved in advancing Greater Baton Rouge’s high-tech, information, and entrepreneurial economic sector. He was instrumental in the formation of the Louisiana Technology Park, and serves as General Counsel to the Research Park Corporation.
Additionally, Charles has significant experience representing non-profit entities on issues related to mission, structure, and governance.
Charles is the co-Editor of The Foreign Investor’s Guide to the Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Louisiana, an extensive analysis of the laws of the United States and the State of Louisiana as those laws may impact a party wishing to invest in Louisiana. He also serves on the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s Governance Committee. Charles is the past Vice Chairperson of the Louisiana State University (LSU) University Lakes Renovation Committee.
He has been a frequent lecturer at LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center and has led numerous continuing education seminars on the subjects of complex real estate transactions, title examination, land use planning, secured transactions, and real estate workouts.
Charles is ranked Band 1 by Chambers and Partners in Real Estate and Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use. He was also recently named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2025 Capital Region 500, a list of 500 powerful and influential business and community leaders in Baton Rouge.
Overview
- English
- Louisiana State University, J.D., graduated 1977
- Louisiana, 1977
- Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge - Advisory Board - Board Member
- LSU Foundation - Board Member
- LSU Property Foundation - Board Member
- LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation - Board Member
- Pennington Foundation - Board Member
- Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana - Board Member
- Urban Land Institute - Louisiana Chapter - Board Member
- English
- Louisiana, 1977
- Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge - Advisory Board - Board Member
- LSU Foundation - Board Member
- LSU Property Foundation - Board Member
- LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation - Board Member
- Pennington Foundation - Board Member
- Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana - Board Member
- Urban Land Institute - Louisiana Chapter - Board Member
- Louisiana State University, J.D., graduated 1977
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Corporate Law
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
- Project Finance Law
- Public Finance Law
- Real Estate Law
Awards:
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Real Estate Law since 1993.
- In the September 18, 2012, edition of the Baton Rouge Business Report, Charles was identified as one of the 30 most influential people in the Capital Region over the past 30 years.
- Charles was named to the top 10 list of the most influential people in the Baton Rouge Capital region in the 2007 Power Book, published by the Baton Rouge Business Report. The list was compiled from surveys of the Business Report’s.
- Charles received the 2002 Distinguished Leadership Award for a Citizen Planner presented by the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association for his effective leadership in community and regional planning dedicated to promoting planning and impl
- Charles was named the 2006 Businessperson of the Year by the Baton Rouge Business Report and Junior Achievement. The Business Awards are annually awarded to the top local executives or entrepreneurs. Started in 1984, the awards are based on succ
- Recognized in “Chambers USA -America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Band 1 (one of 8) in the area of Real Estate (listed annually since 2005).
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Transactions
- New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA)
Negotiated the transfer of NOCCA property from the NOCCA Foundation to the State of Louisiana and advised in the creation of State-supported world-class educational institution for the performing arts in Louisiana.
- Economic Development Districts
- Creation of the Americana Economic Development District – Zachary
- Creation of the Florida – Third Street Economic Development District – Baton Rouge
- Creation of the Morganfield Economic Development District – Lake Charles
- Creation of the Riverview Economic Development District – Port Allen
- Creation of the Belle Savanne Economic Development District – Sulphur
- Briarwood Golf Course – Baton Rouge
Represent Woman’s Hospital Foundation in the development of the former Briarwood Golf Course for its new hospital / mixed use campus.
- City of West Lake
Served as real estate counsel for the development of a 400-acre golf course community.
- City Park Golf Course - New Orleans
Served as real estate counsel to Bayou District, the non-profit party, in a complex public private partnership for the reconstruction of the City Park golf courses.
- English Turn Golf Course – New Orleans
Served as real estate counsel for the sale of English Turn Golf Course in New Orleans.
- Fairwood Golf Course – Baton Rouge
Represented the Developer to acquire, rezone and develop the course for mixed use development.
- Shenandoah Golf Course – Baton Rouge
Represented the Developer to acquire, rezone and develop the course for single family residential lots.
- State of Louisiana
- Served as lead counsel to the State of Louisiana for the acquisition of property sites and the financing of six state office buildings and three parking garages; negotiated and structured acquisition of more than forty individual tracts of land in downtown Baton Rouge to assemble four blocks for these buildings (one tract needed to be expropriated).
- Tournament Players Club (TPC) Golf Course. Joint venture between affiliates of PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties and Marrero Land and Improvement Association, with the State of Louisiana providing partial funding for the project. Negotiated a complex transaction involving family donation to the State of Louisiana; structured the transaction; negotiated a lease with TPC for the design, construction, and management of the first TPC golf course in Louisiana; facilitated the funding of $12 million of capital outlay funding for the project; and negotiated design and construction contracts for the State.
- Baton Rouge Community College
Comprehensive community college offering associate degrees and certificate programs. Assisted with the new campus acquisition and financing the construction of facilities, negotiated acquisition of a “dark” strip center in the center of Baton Rouge, structured the transaction, orchestrated a unique infill project, structured a multi-phase acquisition because of existing lease to tenants, and performed numerous negotiations of terminations and amendments to tenant leases.
- Louisiana State University
- Acquisition and financing of additional land for student housing.
- Acquisition of research facilities complex structure to transfer research facilities to LSU for federally-funded research, including complicated environmental issues. Staged transaction for phased move-out of Albermarle; the agreement included an obligation of Albemarle to maintain jobs in Louisiana.
- Louisiana Tech University
Served as counsel to the university in connection with the acquisition of additional land and the construction of student housing.
- Nicholls State University
Acquisition and financing of additional land for on-campus student housing.
- Northwestern State University
Acquisition and financing of additional land for on-campus student housing.
- Southeastern Louisiana University
Acquisition and financing of additional land for on-campus student housing.
- University of Louisiana at Monroe Facilities, Inc.
Acquisition and financing of additional land for on-campus student housing.
- Hotel Dieu
Served as lead counsel in real estate acquisition by the State of Louisiana.
- ASIS Healthcare
Served as local counsel in the acquisition of Glenwood Regional Medical Center in Monroe, Louisiana.
- Woman’s Hospital
Serves as lead real estate counsel in the development of a 225-acre campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which included a significant mixed-use component.
- Capitol House Hotel
Baton Rouge Community Development co-counsel structuring transaction; revitalization of a historic hotel in downtown Baton Rouge. Created structure to allow for a community foundation to acquire and renovate, using tax increment financing.
- Marriott Courtyard
Serves as local counsel for project in Baton Rouge.
- State Police
Served as lead counsel in complex acquisition by the State of Louisiana of a former industrial site for State Police training center; handled significant environmental issues and structured the transaction for compatible use of contaminated site.
- Capital City Press
Served as lead counsel in the acquisition of property for the new press facilities.
- IBM Center- Baton Rouge
Serves as lead counsel to the developer, an affiliate of Commercial Properties Realty Trust. This project is a complex public private partnership between the developer, IBM, the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge. The complex which comprises a full city block includes a 10-story office building development with 85 luxury apartments.
- IBM Center –Monroe
Serves as counsel to Southern Lifestyles Development, LLC for the development of a new IBM center in Monroe, Louisiana. Although similar to the project in Baton Rouge, this public private partnership will include the developer, CenturyLink, a public national technology company, IBM, the State of Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development.
- Four United Plaza
Serve as lead counsel representing the owner in connection with the acquisition and development of a 75,000 square foot office building in Baton Rouge.
- Freeport-McMoRan
- Served as lead counsel representing the Freeport in its new worldwide headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Provided legal advice on matters involving oyster lease issues, complex coastal restoration issues, and co-existent rights of State/Freeport (property owners)/oyster leaseholders.
- Americana Traditional Neighborhood Development – Zachary
Serves as lead counsel for a 400-acre TND in Zachary, Louisiana. Americana is a mixed use Traditional Neighborhood Development with residential, office, commercial and civic spaces on a rolling 413.70 acre site.
Served as Developer’s counsel in structuring numerous public-private components of the development.
Served as Developer’s counsel in structuring numerous public-private components of the development.
- Morganfield Traditional Neighborhood Development – Lake Charles
Served as Developer’s counsel in structuring numerous public-private components of the development.
- Shaw Center for the Arts – Baton Rouge
Organized one-of-a-kind public partnership structured transaction, negotiated architect and contractor agreements, and served as the point person for all allocations on the development of a $50-million, 200,000-square-foot theater/museum/teaching facility. The partnership, consisting of the State of Louisiana, the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, now serves as the model for future public/private partnerships in Louisiana.
- Water Campus – Baton Rouge
Serves as lead counsel to the developer of The Water Campus, a complex public private partnership, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The partners are the State of Louisiana, the City of Baton Rouge / Parish of East Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and Commercial Properties Realty Trust. After 2 years of extensive negotiations, the real estate component of the transaction closed in 2015. The first three buildings are projected to be under construction in the third quarter of 2015. Developing over the next decade, The Water Campus will be on 35 acres along the Mississippi, adjacent to downtown Baton Rouge. In that time, the number of researchers and support staff employed at the facility will expand to over 4,000. More than 1.8 million square feet of labs, research facilities and commercial space will enable them to carry out their vital work in a collaborative environment – studying coastal threats, formulating theories, exchanging ideas, and cooperating to arrive at innovative solutions that might never be possible working alone.
- 5401 North Residential - Raleigh, North Carolina
300 acre residential development.
- Acadia Plantation Development
In Thibodaux, Louisiana; 1,000-acre mixed-use development, a 200-acre office and retail and a 490-acre TND.
- Bailey Family
Structured and negotiated the development of a 500-acre TND in Lafayette, Louisiana.
- River View Traditional Neighborhood Development
Served as lead counsel for a 500-acre TND in Port Allen, Louisiana.
- Fluor Corporation
Served as lead Louisiana counsel for Fluor in 57 Louisiana parishes.
- Research Park Corporation
Served as lead counsel in the creation and development of the Louisiana Technology Park, was involved in the creation of the Research Park Corporation, developed the concept for the creation of the Louisiana Technology Park, structured the LTP, and was instrumental in funding. The Louisiana Technology Park is a private-public alliance formed to create the most active and innovative atmosphere for e-business, high-technology and biotechnology between Houston and Atlanta. The State of Louisiana and the Research Park Corporation have joined with the ECO structure alliance of EMC2, Cisco Systems, and Oracle to form a comprehensive catalyst for the Internet, e-commerce, and biotech economies, focused on growing startup companies; providing high-speed, high-volume commercial data storage and transmission; and offering swift, direct Internet connectivity. The technology business accelerator is owned and managed by Louisiana Technology Park LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the nonprofit Louisiana-based technology developer, Research Park Corp.
- Jim Wilson & Associates, Inc.
Served as principal counsel in the development of the Mall of Louisiana.
- Lee Berg Fine Jewelers
Served as lead counsel on all leasing in the Gulf South region for the jewelry store chain.
- Bon Carré
Bon Carré Business Center is a technology, research, and business hub that is anchored by a high-tech data storage facility and is the current home for a number of high-tech businesses. Served as lead counsel on the conversion of a 900,000-square-foot shopping center into a mixed-use business development, structured the acquisition of Bon Carré with unique conversion, and dealt with numerous retail tenant issues.
- Department of Natural Resources
Served as outside counsel for the Atchafalaya Basin, the nation’s largest river swamp, containing almost one million acres of our nation’s most significant bottomland hardwoods, swamps, bayous, and back-water lakes, on all real estate issues for the basin program ($50 million over two years); handled significant issues with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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