Kent Mitchell is an attorney who specializes in real estate sales, acquisitions, financing and tax deferred exchanges. Before becoming Of Counsel to the firm in April 2015, he was the founder and senior partner of the Palo Alto law firm of Mitchell & Herzog between 1968 and April of 2015. He brings his extensive experience and client relationships with him to the firm. For his commercial property clients, Kent negotiates and drafts purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, leases, common ownership agreements, partnership, limited liability company, and corporate documents, advises on real estate disputes and litigation matters, municipal zoning matters, property tax assessment appeals and planning, and succession planning for family owned real estate properties. Kent has also developed a significant estate planning practice, which he will continue with the assistance of the firm’s attorneys specializing in estate planning and tax matters.

 

Kent served 12 years on the Portola Valley Town Council, including 3 terms as Mayor, when he was instrumental in representing and leading the Town’s successful efforts to preserve as permanent open space the 1500 acre Windy Hill area forming the backdrop for the Town of Portola Valley and surrounding Mid-Peninsula areas.

Kent received his law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law in Berkeley in 1964 and his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Stanford University in 1961. Kent also won Olympic Bronze and Gold Medals in Rowing at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics and coached the US National Rowing Team at the 1966 World Championships. He has served as an analyst for ABC-TV and NBC-TV at the Los Angeles, Seoul and Barcelona Olympics, is a founder and trustee of the National Rowing Foundation, and is a member of both the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame and the U.S. Rowing Hall of Fame. Kent and his wife, Jo Ann, have lived in Portola Valley with their family since 1973.