Real estate broker Will Northern formally responded to the lawsuit filed by Michael Crain, his business partner in Northern Crain Realty and a Fort Worth City Council member.
In his response filed June 27, Northern says Crescendo — the company he set up to develop properties in and around the Woodhaven Country Club in east Fort Worth — did not compete with Northern Crain Realty.
“Contrary to Mr. Crain’s claims, the businesses in question are not competitive with the Northern Crain companies,” Northern said in a statement. “The Crescendo entities are real estate investment and development companies — not brokerages or property management firms — and in fact, they have engaged Northern Crain Realty and Property Management for services, generating revenue for the shared companies.”
The dispute centers on Northern’s exclusion of Crain from “a significant and potentially lucrative business venture; one that, according to the petition, was advanced through the improper use of the Northern Crain companies’ confidential information, resources, and personnel,” Crain’s attorney said.
Crain sued Northern on June 20 in Judge Don Cosby’s 67th District Court, saying that his business partner and others acted without Crain’s knowledge or consent to exclude him and the jointly-owned firm from the business transaction involving the Woodhaven Country Club property.
According to the original filing, Crain claimed he originally brought in the clients representing the Woodhaven Country Club property and the area to the business, but then Northern set up a separate company without Crain’s knowledge in order to acquire the property.
Crescendo Development acquired more than 160 acres in Woodhaven, including the golf course, on Fort Worth’s east side in a foreclosure auction for $8.5 million in May 2024. Crescendo Development is a separate company set up by Northern.
In February 2025, the Fort Worth City Council approved redevelopment plans for east Fort Worth’s Woodhaven area despite opposition from some residents who don’t want more multifamily housing in the neighborhood.
Council members agreed with a Jan. 7 zoning commission decision to rezone 150 acres for a mixed-use project that would add more housing, retail shops and green spaces to the shuttered nine-hole Woodhaven golf course. Crain abstained from voting as a business partner of Northern.
Crain, who represents District 3 in the city’s southwest side, formed Northern Crain Realty in 2019 with Northern.
Northern has a long track record in real estate and has been involved on the governmental side as well, serving on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission from 2013 to 2021.
Crain has requested a jury trial in his lawsuit, but no date has been set.
Crain is represented by Garette Amis of the Law Office of Avery McDaniel.
Northern is represented by Randall Schmidt of Cotten Schmidt law offices.
Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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