Areas of Practice
Real Estate Development
Navigating the legal and bureaucratic tangles of development can be a complex, frustrating process. The Law Office of William B. Lawson, P.C. is uniquely qualified to guide you through it.
Our attorneys are highly experienced in start-to-finish real estate development. Our services include:
- Identifying and studying prospective development sites
- Preparation and negotiation of letters of intent and contracts
- Guidance through the highly bureaucratic permit process
- Preparation of deeds of dedication, subdivisions, and easements and agreements with owners of adjoining land
- Negotiation and review of construction contracts
- Creation of community associations
Zoning and Land Use
The Law Office of William B. Lawson, P.C. is one of the earliest practitioners of zoning law in Northern Virginia, with decades of experience in zoning and land use matters.
Our firm has created billions of dollars in property value for our clients through rezonings, variances, site plans and other land-use approvals. Here again, our clients range from small to large; from family-owned development companies to large REITs. We have obtained approval for such varied projects as:
- mixed-use town centers
- high-rise apartment buildings
- high-rise office buildings
- single family and townhome developments
- automotive dealers
- retail establishments
Landlord-Tenant Law
We represent some of the area’s largest commercial and residential landlords. We provide such services as lease preparation, eviction, fair housing defense and litigation of lease and other disputes. In 2005 alone, we litigated more than 2,000 residential and commercial unlawful detainer cases in jurisdictions ranging from Washington, DC to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Additionally, one of our partners serves on the legislative committee of the Northern Virginia Apartment Owners Association, through which we are able to promote statutory reform that benefits the real estate industry.
Transactions
We assist our clients in all phases of real estate transactions including:
- Site analysis, due diligence and title review.
- Preparation and negotiation of contracts, leases, ground leases and other associated documents.
- Negotiation and review of project financing, including mezzanine and equity financing, through which we have helped our clients obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in development financing.
- Provide zoning and transactional opinions of counsel.
Civil Litigation (with an emphasis on Real Estate)
Our attorneys are skilled civil litigators. We frequently appear in the Northern Virginia courts and have prevailed in cases before the Virginia Supreme Court. We also recognize that clients’ disputes often are best resolved out of court. When an amicable resolution is not available, however, we stand at our clients’ side, zealously advocating their interests in the courtroom. We litigate many types of real estate disputes, ranging from lease and purchase contract issues to the enforcement of covenants and easements. We also counsel clients and appear before zoning appeals boards, fair housing boards and architectural review boards.
Business Law
Real estate matters often require knowledge of business law. Our attorneys assist clients all the way from the starting up to the winding down of their businesses. We organize their corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships; we document their affairs, from preparing resolutions to drafting operating agreements; and we support them throughout the tenure of their business with general advice and counsel.