Lauren Riley first joined the firm in 2017 as a summer associate. She rejoined the Firm in 2019 and works in the Land Use and Zoning practice group in the Arlington office. She primarily focuses on securing zoning and land use entitlements including rezonings, special permits, and special exceptions. Before joining the firm, Lauren worked for the general practice law firm of Walton & Adams, P.C., where she gained valuable experience in eminent domain practice, zoning and land use research, and civil litigation. Lauren earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Alabama in 2015, and graduated from William & Mary Law School in 2018 where she was an articles editor for the William & Mary Business Law Review.

While in law school, Lauren was a summer associate for the Firm and for the City of Hampton Attorney’s Office. She also served as a research assistant to Professor Lynda L. Butler, working on global land use and environmental research.

In this month’s Employee Spotlight, we will learn a lot more about Lauren.

Thank you for participating in this month’s Employee Spotlight, Lauren! Tell us a little about yourself — where did you grow up?

I grew up in rural Alabama (next to a farm) until I was ten, when I moved to a suburb of Birmingham, AL.

What did you think you wanted to be when you were younger?

I thought I wanted to be a forensic scientist. I later discovered that I was terrible at math and not much better with science, so then I became more interested in being a lawyer.

What interested you about the legal field, specifically land use law?

In the legal field you get to be creative and use your analytical skill set while also helping people at the same time. Land use is so interesting because it’s a unique subset of law where you are able to work with multiple parties to help create and contribute to vibrant communities.

What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?

I most enjoy collaborating with my colleagues on any given issue. Being able to come up with creative solutions to land use problems is very rewarding.

Aside from a very busy schedule, what do you like to do for fun outside of work?

I’m a bit of a homebody, so I mostly enjoy hanging out with my family, watching movies and tv. I also like to bake and there’s always a new recipe to try out.

Where have you traveled most recently?

Last September I was able to go on a week-long trip to Keystone, Colorado. We spent most of our time hiking. The Rocky Mountains were beautiful!

What is your favorite show at the moment?

I recently started watching Westworld and have been binge-watching it since. It’s such an interesting show that explores philosophies of consciousness and complex themes about technology and humanity, while being incredibly thrilling and genre-bending at the same time.

Why do you think Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh is a great place to work?

WCL&W is a great place to work because of the community here. Everyone is extremely nice and helpful. They will often drop what they’re doing to answer a question or help you with an issue you’re stuck on.

Thank you, Lauren!