William B. Lawson, Jr
William B. Lawson, Jr. began his practice under the guidance of his father, William B. Lawson, Sr., who was one of the region’s pre-eminent zoning specialists. Mr. Lawson has continued in his father's footsteps and is now recognized as a leading land use practitioner in his own right. His clients include "Fortune 500" companies and some of the area's oldest and most established land owners and developers. Mr. Lawson has helped his clients develop high-value projects including Pentagon Row and Merrifield Town Center that have garnered the praise of local jurisdictions. He is on the forefront of the latest development concepts and has served on Arlington County's Zoning Ordinance Review Committee and various advisory groups that have helped shape the Northern Virginia regulatory framework.
Before practicing law, Mr. Lawson worked in construction and land development, including the development department of First Virginia Bank. This background provides valuable insight that he now applies to his land use work.
A strong advocate of the rights of property owners, Mr. Lawson has spearheaded the development of our firm's Regulatory Appeals practice. In recent years, local governments have become more aggressive, exerting greater control over the operation, and even maintenance, of private property. Filing and processing appeals from orders and citations have become a means of protecting our clients from overreaching governmental action.
Mr. Lawson also takes great satisfaction in representing houses of worship and non-profit organizations in zoning and development matters.
A native of Northern Virginia, Mr. Lawson received his law degree from the George Mason University School of Law, where he was a member of the law review.
Representative Projects:
Merrifield Town Center
Pentagon Row
Metropolitan Park at Pentagon City
Radley Acura
Clarendon II Self Storage
Practice Areas:
Real Estate Development
Zoning and Land Use
Transactions
Administrative/Regulatory
Education:
George Mason University School of Law, Arlington, Virginia, J.D. 1982
George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, B.S. 1977
Professional Affiliations:
Virginia State Bar Association
Arlington County Bar Association
Northern Virginia Builders Industry Association
Admitted:
Virginia 1982