ABE S. GOREN

Having been named “Top Rated Real Estate Attorney in Houston, TX” by Super Lawyers® (Thomson Reuters) since 2003, Abe Goren is a masterful negotiator and a decisive leader in his practice.

Goren, a Co-founder of Wilson Cribbs + Goren, was one of the first attorneys to become Board Certified in Commercial Real Estate Law by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of Texas. He applies his years of real estate experience to implementing effective and creative solutions to his clients’ business goals.

Goren’s primary areas of focus include the acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate across all asset types. His matters range from the routine to the complex, single locations to multiple sites. His practice extends even beyond Texas, and he’s relied on by clients of all sizes for his negotiation skills and deep familiarity of real estate contracts and the many issues that can arise throughout the deal-making process.

Wilson Cribbs + Goren’s unique egalitarian culture is an outgrowth of his vision, and his passion for the job resonates throughout the organization despite all challenges, like the firm’s recent decision to go paperless.

What makes him so successful? He is true to who he is, gaining him recognition as Connect CRE’s 2022 Texas Lawyers in Real Estate Award and “Lifetime Achiever” by Texas Magazine in 2018.

“People who meet, work with and get to know me never see a side of me that is any different than who I actually am,” he said.

Wilson Cribbs + Goren

Houston, Texas

Goren is also devoted to giving back to his community and has continually chaired the annual Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Charity Golf Tournament for the past few decades, raising more than $1 million to support early childhood, grade school, summer camp programs and scholarships for children at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC.

When he’s not hard at work, Goren enjoys an array of hobbies.

“I watch classic and timeless films (“black and white movies”, as my wife, Dollie, calls them) and attend sporting events with my daughter, Haley. I also collect autographed memorabilia of celebrities, purchase unusual and curious art pieces at auctions and estate sales, and I especially enjoy spoiling my five-year-old granddaughter, Charlie.”

Chairman

The numbers are impressive. Lispah Hogan, executive managing director of the Houston office of Newmark, has closed more than 24 million square feet of transactions during a commercial real estate career that has spanned nearly four decades.

What's behind this success? Hogan serves as a true advisor to her clients, helping them to develop the best strategies for managing their real estate holdings. As her peers say, Hogan's knowledge of the market and commitment to her clients have helped her build the long-term relationships that are so important to crafting a thriving CRE business.

"I enjoy my clients and helping them make meaningful commercial real estate decisions," Hogan said. "The results of these decisions directly affect their employees and businesses. It is a big responsibility to play a role in the future direction of a company, large or small, helping it with growth or reduction or overall problem-solving. It is always my aim to generate a positive experience for everyone involved."

Hogan grew up in a military family, and because of this learned quickly how to cultivate meaningful relationships, overcome unexpected challenges and adapt quickly to changing situations.

An example? The first 13 years of Hogan's career were spent in Houston during the mid-1980s through late 1990s. Houston hadn't recovered like the rest of the country following the savings-and-loan crisis, suffering from commercial overbuilding and a sluggish oil and gas industry. Like other successful CRE professionals during this time, Hogan had to rely on creative thinking to achieve the best results for her clients.

This included Hogan's efforts to lease up 80,000 square feet of office space in a Class-A CBD tower for $7 a square foot. To attract tenants, Hogan advertised the space as air-conditioned storage space.

"At the time, storage space wasn't the prominent asset class it is now," Hogan said. "From then on, I learned to live outside the box and only get back in when I needed to."

Given her knowledge and experience, it's not surprising that Hogan has closed several big deals during her career. For example, in 2019 she was involved in a sale/leaseback of more than $300 million of an office building for a long-time client.

Throughout her career, Hogan has closed several big deals for her clients, including a transaction of 350,000 square feet for Southwestern Energy, 315,000 square feet for Phillips 66 and 195,000 square feet for ConocoPhillips. Other major transactions include a deal of 134,000 square feet for American Exploration Co., 131,000 square feet for System one and 126,000 square feet for Hartford Insurance. Hogan has also closed the sale of 38 buildings and 1,606 acres of land during her career.

Hogan also boasts international experience. She has closed leases in Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur, Luanda, Warsaw and London, among other international destinations.

REDnews pointed to this impressive track record when naming Hogan the Woman of the Year in 2020.

"Being 'pleasantly persistent' is one of my mantras," Hogan said. "Somehow, persistence provides both sides with patience and the space to work through deal points. 'Knowledge is power' is another mantra I swear by, as I have continued to educate myself throughout my career and never quit."

Although work is a main focus of Hogan's, she also enjoys attending concerts and festivals with friends and family members. She also is a yearly volunteer for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which raises funds to support the education of young people throughout the Houston area.