Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2006 
Reid Wilson is recognized as southeast Texas’ preeminent land use attorney, a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), and one of few practicing real estate attorneys holding the Counselors of Real Estate (CRE) designation.
Board-certified in commercial real estate law and homeowners association law, he brings to his practice his relationships and reputation with governmental lawyers and officials throughout southeast Texas. As the Chairman of Wilson Cribbs + Goren, Reid led the firm to become one of the go-to real estate boutiques in Texas.
An adept critical thinker, problem-solver, and creative strategist, as well as a skilled negotiator, Reid advocates for the interests of a wide array of private clients, including residential and commercial developers, property owners, Fortune 500 companies, and owners and operators of industrial sites. He also has unique knowledge of the laws on land use rights of religious organizations; specifically, the constitutional and statutory exceptions granted to them under state and federal law.
Reid approaches public land use law with a private real estate lawyer’s understanding, experience, and perspective, while simultaneously possessing a thorough knowledge of the regulator mindset, resulting in the ability to achieve efficient and fair results for his clients. When challenges do arise, Reid is at his best and pursues difficult land-use problems to resolution. His commitment to his clients is unwavering, and he uses his negotiation skills and passion for problem-solving to craft and implement equitable resolutions between conflicting land owners and land uses.
Houston’s land use laws lack a zoning component – but are bewildering in their variety and complexity. Outside the City of Houston lie numerous municipalities with zoning and other restrictive land-use regulations. Few people have the ability to efficiently navigate the diverse array of local statutes and administrative bodies, from boards of adjustment to zoning boards to city councils, as Reid can do. With his many years in Texas real estate, Reid has experience with most land use regulatory bodies in southeast Texas. This deep experience has allowed him to forge positive relationships with many local government bodies, a quality that provides clients with greater predictability and efficiency when pursuing their land use objectives.
Reid’s practice involves a broad array of work related to both public and private land use regulations, such as deed restrictions (restrictive covenants), easements, development agreements, platting, economic development incentives, permitting and denial of permits, zoning approvals and denials, statutory vested rights, and traditional land use matters. As a trusted partner to his clients, Reid also counsels businesses proactively on land use and real estate matters to help avoid costly missteps before they occur.
On the real estate side, Reid has a comprehensive general practice that addresses the needs of all types of private entities. He also consults with the firm’s litigation team on matters as a high-level problem-solver and negotiator.
As a leader of Wilson Cribbs + Goren, Reid leverages his extensive experience in land use and real estate law to mentor the firm’s attorneys. Under his direction, the firm has made professional education a priority, ensuring that all attorneys are up to date on the latest in Texas land use and real estate laws and regulations.
