Attorney Karl Haas, who worked on some of the Indianapolis area's biggest real estate projects over past last three decades, died last week at age 57, his colleagues announced Monday.
Haas was a founding partner of the Indianapolis firm Wallack Somers & Haas P.C., which he started in 1999 with partners Barry Wallack, Michael Wallack and George Somers. Before that, Haas was an associate and later a partner at the firm previously known as Baker & Daniels, beginning in 1985.
Haas’ legal practice focused on construction and permanent financing, leasing and other matters for real estate projects. Throughout his career, he represented developers, lenders, equity investors and municipal agencies on numerous projects, including Conseco (Banker's Life) Fieldhouse, Circle Centre mall, the Murat Theater, Carmel City Center, the Anthem operations center and the former Thomson Consumer Electronics Americas headquarters.
He concentrated primarily on facilitating difficult transactions between developers and municipalities, and making sure both sides were satisfied.
A 1985 graduate of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, then known as the IU School of Law-Indianapolis, Haas received multiple awards and honors throughout his legal career, including being named among the Best Lawyers in America and being ranked first among all Indianapolis real estate attorneys by Chambers & Partners in 2005 and 2006.
Haas is survived by his wife, Holly Stults Haas, two sons and three stepsons. The family will hold a memorial service and open house from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Haas family residence, 4163 Washington Blvd.
