Ernesto counsels developers, investors, and public bodies on some of the most consequential real estate and public finance transactions in the country.
Based in St. Louis, Missouri, and active throughout the Midwest and beyond, Ernesto has guided hundreds of transactions and billions of dollars in capital investment into communities.
He primarily counsels developers and public bodies on all aspects of development, from land acquisition through the construction and leasing of all types of real estate. Applying his broad experience with real estate transactions in nearly every U.S. state, he has particular skill in navigating complex entitlement and project finance issues surrounding commercial, industrial and public infrastructure projects such as data centers, logistics centers, corporate campuses, greenway networks and professional sports arenas.
This “deal-making” versatility allows Ernesto to provide keen insights into helping clients achieve their goals, particularly when faced with challenging political or public headwinds. His work as counsel to a variety of public bodies allows Ernesto to guide projects with a holistic perspective on the issues that matter most to both public and private stakeholders. He regularly guides private clients through the structuring, negotiation, adoption and implementation of public financing tools and incentives, such as tax abatements, tax increment financing (TIF), public-private partnerships (P3), and state and federal tax credits, including Historic Tax Credits (HTC) and New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC). Ernesto negotiates commercial, office and industrial leases for landlords and tenants and has extensive experience in drafting state and local legislation and assisting in its refinement and passage. Beyond transactional structuring, he is regularly engaged in troubled or stalled transactions—including distressed assets, recapitalizations, and projects facing regulatory or community opposition—where his public-side fluency and deal-structuring depth allow him to identify pragmatic paths forward.
Ernesto takes great pride in developing and managing his client teams. Having spent his entire legal career with Husch Blackwell, he leads his teams with a collaborative, relationship-first approach—bringing the right people to the table at every stage to drive complex transactions to a successful close.
Ernesto’s work has been recognized by legal and real estate industry publications, and he is an active voice in the field, speaking regularly and authoring articles on a variety of real estate development topics.