Emily Ayers
Co-Founder & Partner
Jae Law Group, PLLC
Emily Ayers is a Co-Founder and Partner of Jae Law Group, PLLC, a women-owned boutique law firm representing some of the largest and most sophisticated commercial real estate investors and owners in the industry. Jae is dedicated to delivering strategic, forward-thinking counsel that combines multidisciplinary insight with advanced technology resources.
Emily advises clients on a wide range of real estate transactions and development matters involving multi-family, retail, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use projects. Her work includes the acquisition, disposition, financing, leasing, and development of real property and operating assets. She also has deep experience structuring, implementing, and administering complex condominium regimes for the financing and sale of commercial, residential, and mixed-use projects.
Before founding Jae, Emily practiced at several large national and international law firms, where she gained broad experience across all aspects of commercial real estate. Her clients include national and international developers, lenders, and institutional investors who rely on her practical insight, precision, and strategic approach to navigate complex real estate matters.
Emily frequently writes and speaks on industry topics for continuing legal education programs. Recent presentations include:
Do the Due or Don’t Do the Deal: Due Diligence in an As-Is World (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2019)
Don’t Get Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Practice Tips for Common “Sticking Points” in Purchase and Sale Transactions (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2020)
What’s Good for the Goose? Let’s Take a Gander at PSA Basics (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2022)
Getting to a “Yes” Without Giving In (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2023)
Current State of Purchase and Sale Agreement Negotiations: Negotiate Like It’s 2024! (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2024)
Letters of Intent and Basic Real Estate Terminology: LOI Stands for “Leave Out/Include” (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2025)
Emily received her B.A from The University of Texas at Austin, where she is a member of the Ginsburg Circle at The Center for Women in Law,. She received her J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law. Outside of work, Emily works with Communities in Schools as a member of their fundraising committee.
Audrey Sullivan
Co-Founder & Partner
Jae Law Group, PLLC
Audrey Sullivan is a Co-Founder and Partner of Jae Law Group, PLLC, a women-owned boutique law firm representing some of the largest and most sophisticated commercial real estate investors and owners in the industry. Jae is dedicated to delivering strategic, forward-thinking counsel that integrates multidisciplinary insight with advanced technology resources.
Audrey represents developers, investors, and owners in complex acquisition, leasing, and financing transactions, providing practical and strategic guidance aligned with each client’s business objectives. Before founding Jae, she practiced at several large national and international law firms, where she gained extensive experience across a broad spectrum of commercial real estate matters.
Her background includes advising publicly traded developers on the acquisition, financing, entitlement, development, and disposition of large parcels of land and finished lots. She also counsels sponsors and capital providers in joint venture investments and represents lenders in financings secured by or involving retail, office, and multifamily projects. In addition, Audrey has worked with securitized trusts on the resolution of defaulted commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) loans.
Audrey’s clients rely on her ability to “see around corners”—anticipating challenges and crafting responsive, strategic solutions that advance their goals.
She frequently writes and speaks on real estate topics for continuing legal education programs. Recent presentations include:
Alternative Uses in Traditional Shopping Centers: Let’s Go to the Mall 2.0 (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2023)
Botox and BOPIS: Let’s Go to the Mall! Non-Traditional Uses within a Traditional Shopping Center (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2022)
Distribution Centers: Industrial as the New Retail (ICSC+U.S. Law Conference 2021)
Making Your Company’s Leases Valuable Assets (Association of Corporate Counsel 2018)
Audrey earned her B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin, where she is a member of the Ginsburg Circle at The Center for Women in Law. She received her J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, graduating Order of the Coif.
Outside of work, Audrey enjoys volunteering at her children’s elementary school, playing weekly mahjong, and serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Travis County.
Jane Snoddy Smith
Co-Founder & Partner
Jae Law Group, PLLC
Jane Snoddy Smith is a Founding Partner in Jae Law Group, PLLC, a commercial real estate boutique practice wholly owned by women and serving some of the largest, most sophisticated commercial real estate investors and owners in the industry. Jane brings over forty years of experience gained as a partner in three national and international law firms serving as US Chair for Real Estate and Global Co-Chair of Real Estate.
Jane advises domestic and foreign pension funds, REITS in equity and debt investments in commercial real estate, including multiple $1B+ national portfolios. Her expertise encompasses joint venture investments in and development of multifamily, logistics, office, shopping centers, hospitality, medical and mixed-use projects. She has noteworthy experience in corporate campus acquisitions and public private partnerships on behalf of governmental entities. She has negotiated settlements in disputes in multiple states involving real estate contracts, development agreements, leases, purchase options, partitions and environmental remediation. Jane is adapting legal technology for the real estate industry to improve risk evaluations of real assets.
Jane has presented numerous papers, including:
The Art Behind the Deal: Insights into Real Estate Investment Committee (American College of Real Estate Lawyers)
Doing Business in a Global Environment (CREWNetwork)
Top Ten Predictors of Success in Your Company (Association of Corporate Counsel)
Ground Leases: The Play and the Players (ALI Leasing Seminar)
That's My Space! ROFOs, ROFRs and Expansion Options: Win, Lose or Draw? (ICSC Law Conference)
Jane was 2022 President of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Jane actively participates in real estate industry organizations including ICSC (Past Chair & Law Board Member), CREW Network, (Past President and Past Foundation Chair,) and she is a founder at the Center for Women in Law at The University of Texas School of Law.
She has been recognized by Best Lawyers for her work in Real Estate Law and (2008-2025). She is a Legal 500 US, recommended lawyer, Real Estate and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer. Jane is named by Chambers USA as a Leader, Real Estate.
Outside of work, Jane works with organizations to provide housing and support for people with disabilities and low incomes, including at El Buen Samaritano. She chairs the Real Estate Committee for the Great Commission for the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Mary Cooke
Partner
Jae Law Group, PLLC
Mary Cooke is a Partner of Jae Law Group, PLLC, a women-owned boutique law firm representing some of the largest and most sophisticated commercial real estate investors and owners in the industry. Jae is dedicated to delivering strategic, forward-thinking counsel that integrates multidisciplinary insight with advanced technology resources.
Mary advises clients on a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, providing practical and strategic guidance aligned with each client’s business objectives. She represents institutional investors, owners, developers, and operators in connection with joint ventures, financings, restructurings, public-private partnerships, developments, acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing transactions involving office, retail, industrial, medical, mixed-use, and multifamily assets across the United States.
Mary brings a solutions-oriented approach to complex transactions and is valued for her ability to navigate sophisticated deal structures across multiple asset classes. Her experience spans the full life cycle of real estate transactions, from initial structuring through execution and closing, allowing her to help clients manage risk while advancing long-term goals.
Mary is active in professional education and industry engagement. She presented “Mechanic’s Liens for Dummies” as part of the Austin CREWNetwork chapter’s Lunch & Learn series.
Mary is licensed to practice law in Texas and New York. She earned her J.D. from Cornell Law School in 2017, where she served as an associate of the Cornell International Law Journal. Before joining Jae, Mary practiced at national and international law firms in New York City and Austin.
She is a member of the Ginsburg Circle at The Center for Women in Law and is committed to community involvement, including representing pro bono clients.