At Walsh Colucci, Associate Attorneys will be assigned to work with our zoning, transactions or litigation groups. All associates will be required to ensure that all the necessary documents are reviewed and researched and to coordinate the activities of the entire project team — including internal staff, as well as the client’s consultants and others. Associates also often make presentations before a variety of public forums, speaking on behalf of our clients in straightforward, non-legal terms.

In the Zoning group, learning is best done by doing, so new attorneys are given hands-on training and responsibility as quickly as possible. Our young lawyers follow more senior attorneys working on cases and quickly gain complete exposure to our clients’ processes and strategies. The goal of our training is to permit young lawyers to handle basic zoning cases from filing through public hearings early in their careers, with oversight from partners on larger cases. Many of our new associates are making full presentations before civic associations and other groups within a year of joining the firm. Associates are required to work non-typical business hours — making presentations at meetings held in the evening or on weekends, depending on the jurisdiction.

Transactions Attorneys at Walsh Colucci serve as the guiding force to coordinate the many players that typically are involved in our clients’ transactions. In addition to helping negotiate the terms of sales and other arrangements, transactions attorneys coordinate the actions of the lender, seller, consultants, surveyors, and others. Transactions attorneys are responsible for drafting a variety of documents, including contracts specifying terms of sales and leases, contracts between developers and contracts between our clients and County governments, and covenants establishing homeowner and condominium associations.

Applicants who aspire to join our firm as transactions attorneys should have outstanding skills in writing sales contracts and other documents relating to property development. They should be diligent, able to coordinate the efforts of paralegals and others, and skilled at juggling multiple cases. Transactions attorneys can expect to work traditional business hours, with occasional evening or weekend work as required by circumstances.

Litigation associates work hand-in-hand with shareholders and can expect to be in trial early in their career. Our litigation practice is diverse and complex. Excellent writing skills are critical to the success of our cases in both Virginia Federal and state courts.

Professional Planners (also known as Land Use Coordinators) occupy a unique professional niche at our firm. They handle many of the details of our zoning cases, from researching the relevant history of a property and preparing reports, to working with the client’s consultants and other players to prepare and submit applications. Planners also interact with appropriate county staff to review and revise applications as necessary and attend public meetings where they make presentations and answer community members’ questions.

Key personal strengths for this position include attention to detail, poise, and composure in public speaking situations. Planners in our offices typically have Bachelors or Masters degrees in Urban and Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture, or related fields. Just as important as their educational background, we look for candidates with direct work experience in the planning or zoning functions of local governments. Depending on which jurisdiction they serve, Planners also attend evening or weekend meetings as part of their job.

Paralegals support our transactions attorneys by researching relevant plats and tax records. In addition, they communicate frequently with clients, as well as other players in the business including the client’s consultants, engineers, and relevant county personnel. Paralegals who are new to our practice begin by working on specific parts of a sale and are supported by a strong mentoring program and guidance, eventually assuming a greater scope of duties and responsibility. Paralegals at Walsh Colucci can expect to work traditional business hours, with evening work in rare circumstances.

Candidates for paralegal positions in our Transactions practice should have great organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and strong attention to detail. In addition to having a paralegal certificate, experience working in areas relating to real estate transactions is a plus (for example, experience working for a lending institution, title company, etc.)

Rounding out the support team are the Legal Secretaries, Receptionists, and administrative staff. These valuable professionals are orientated to provide the highest level of support to our clients and business associates. Secretaries are interacting with attorneys and planners internally, but they also interact with a broad variety of professionals in the complex planning and zoning process. We believe that customer support is our primary focus and it includes our clients and firm members.