Partners Real Estate Hires Brooke Gothard and Shea Meddin

Partners Real Estate has poached two of Atlanta’s top brokers, a move the firm hopes will help it dominate the city’s commercial market.

The Houston-based commercial real estate firm recently hired Brooke Gothard and Shea Meddin as equity partners, the Atlanta Business Journal reported.

“Shea and Brooke have built very successful careers at their respective firms and have been involved in some of the most significant transactions in Atlanta and across the country,” Jon Silberman, CEO of Partners, said.

Gothard previously worked as managing directors at Jones Lang LaSalle, while Meddin held a position as executive director for Cushman & Wakefield.

During her time at JLL, Gothard specialized in representing office tenants, playing a pivotal role in Atlanta’s largest office deal of 2023—a 260,000-square-foot lease for Southern Company Gas.

Meddin, who was named the top producer among the office tenant group, was responsible for more than $800 million in transactions across more than 5 million square feet. His roster of clients include firms like Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP, Ameris Bank and Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Gothard and Meddin are pieces of Partners’ strategic growth in Atlanta. The firm opened its office in the city in June under the leadership of John O’Neill, who serves as president and managing partner of the Southeast region.

Partners is still working on building out its senior leadership team to compete with Atlanta’s largest commercial real estate services firms. The firm envisions growing its Atlanta team to about 100 employees, primarily focused on brokerage services.

Gothard and Meddin aren’t the company’s first recruits. Earlier this year, Partners brought on board an office leasing team that includes Cushman & Wakefield’s Chad Koenig and Katelyn Fabian.

The timing of these recruitments is crucial. While Atlanta remains one of the most active commercial real estate markets in the Sunbelt, the property sector has seen significant changes. The top five brokerages in the city executed more than $60 billion in sales and leasing transactions in 2023, a notable 45-percent decline from the previous year.

Overall, Partners’ ambitions extend beyond the Atlanta metro area. Its Midtown Atlanta office currently serves as the base for its Southeastern operations, which include markets in Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.

— Andrew Terrell