Overview
Tim Trant’s practice focuses on real estate, business, and environmental consulting. Tim’s background in civil engineering offers an analytical approach and technical knowledge base that is unique in his field. In every engagement, Tim seeks to establish a clear vision of his clients’ objectives and then uses his entrepreneurial experience, business acumen, and detailed knowledge of the law to help his clients develop creative, economical, and practical solutions to accomplish their objectives. As a highly effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills, Tim is able to build consensus, implement solutions, and achieve results in the most challenging of situations.
Tim’s clients range from large, multi-national corporations to family businesses to individuals. His real estate practice includes structuring acquisition entities, zoning/permitting, acquisition/development financing (including the utilization of low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bond financing), structuring of owner associations, construction, and leasing for commercial, single-family, multi-family, mixed-use, and industrial projects. Tim’s business practice includes formation of entities and joint ventures, contract development, regulatory compliance, acquisitions, dispositions, and general corporate governance. Tim’s environmental practice includes due diligence, liability assessment, permitting, representation before regulatory agencies, and Superfund site liability allocation.
Representative Matters
Real Estate/Land Use
Relationship management and primary representation of a joint venture in the zoning, development, financing, and sale of a 5000-acre mixed-used Planned Unit Development
Representation of developers in connection with acquisition of real estate, entity structuring, and financing of senior and family apartment projects utilizing LIHTC and tax-exempt bond financing
Representation of a joint venture in its development of a 700-acre, neo-urban, mixed-use project including rezoning, environmental permitting, and property owner association planning
Primary representation of multiple entities in a $25 million 1031 exchange to include reinvestment due diligence and consultation on projects ranging in type from raw land to commercial office buildings and ranging in geographic location from Florida to Boston
Representation of a national developer in the due diligence, environmental permitting, transportation permitting, community development authority approval, financing, and acquisition of 230 acres for the development of a regional lifestyle (retail) center
Representation of multiple groups in their rezoning, acquisition, financing, construction, and leasing of multiple commercial projects
Business/Commercial
Formation of new entities and joint ventures
Representation of numerous closely held companies in connection with contract development, formation of subsidiaries, restructuring, partner/shareholder buy-ins and by-outs, acquisition and sale of assets, financing, general corporate governance, and succession planning
Representation of regional engineering firm in acquisition of local engineering firm
Representation of owner/operators in restaurant acquisitions
Formation, acquisition, and sale of dental and oral surgery practices
Formation and acquisition of financial advisory practices
Representation of multiple parties in pursuing franchise business opportunities
Environmental
Multiple engagements for large multi-national corporations in assessing, negotiating, and allocating liability for Superfund sites across the country
Representation of industrial processor in connection with remediation of a chemical release and associated enforcement actions by local, state and federal agencies
Representation of lenders and prospective purchasers in conducting environmental due diligence for real estate acquisitions
Recognition & Honors
Honors & Recognitions
Norfolk Land Use and Zoning Law “Lawyer of the Year”; Best Lawyers in America, 2025
Best Lawyers in America, 2021-2026
Commercial Real Estate Go To Lawyer; Virginia Lawyers Weekly, 2025
Top Lawyers; CoVaBIZ, 2017-2025
Virginia’s Legal Elite; Virginia Business Magazine, 2009-2025
Virginia Rising Stars; Law & Politics, 2010-2016
Virginia Military Institute; Institute Scholar
Society of Cincinnati Medal
William & Mary; Chief Justice, Law School Honor Council
Environment Law and Policy Journal
AV® Rated; Martindale-Hubbell
Press & Publications
News
Community & Professional
Associations
American Bar Association
Virginia Bar Association
American Planning Association; Member, Virginia Chapter; Member
Newport News Bar Association
Williamsburg Bar Association
Urban Land Institute
Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate
Coastal Virginia Building Industry Association; Director
Credentials
Education
Virginia Military Institute; B.S., Civil Engineering, with distinction, 1998
William & Mary Law School; J.D., 2002
