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Bill is a partner in the real estate department and chair of the land use and zoning practice group. He focuses his practice in the areas of zoning, land use and municipal law, real estate litigation and commercial real estate law. Bill offers clients extensive experience in obtaining development permissions from local governments, handling real estate and land use related litigation matters and negotiating leases, contracts and other commercial real estate documents. He regularly represents landowners in land condemnation actions and commercial landlords in breach of lease actions. In addition, Bill regularly represents landowners and developers in land use litigation against local governments and in quasi-judicial proceedings before local zoning boards of adjustment and governing boards in communities throughout North Carolina; and in disputes with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Bill has been a featured speaker for the North Carolina Bar Association; the Wake Forest University School of Law Continuing Legal Education Program; the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association; and the Campbell University School of Law Agribusiness Conference.
Representative Matters
Represented national developer in obtaining all necessary permits for 385 acre mixed use development in Orange County, NC.
Represented major solid waste disposal company in obtaining local development permits for transfer station and landfill in Durham County, NC.
Represented national hotel chain in obtaining just compensation in land condemnation action arising from widening of Interstate Highway.
Represented regional developer in breach of lease action against international manufacturing company.
Represented nationally recognized university in obtaining development permits for project in Beaufort, NC.
Publications, Presentations and Awards
Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers, 2007, Land Use and Zoning
"Development agreements: New tool for an old problem," co-authored with Eric Braun, Greater Wilmington Business, December 2006
"The Reincarnation of Dillion's Rule," NCBA: Zoning, Planning & Land Use Newsletter, August 2006
"Time for developers, local government to work together," co-authored with Eric Braun, Triangle Business Journal, June 2006
"Supreme Court navigating Clean Water Act legal quagmire," co-authored with Eric Braun, Triangle Business Journal, April 2006
Professional, Civic and Community Involvement
Professional: North Carolina Bar Association, Zoning, Planning and Land Use Section, Chair
Civic/Community: Durham City/County Zoning Board of Adjustment, Chairman and Member, 1995-present
Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Member, 2005 - present; Executive Committee, 2006; Local Government Committee, Chairman and Member, 1990-present; Graduate of 1992 Leadership Durham Program
City of Durham Citizens Capital Improvement Panel, Member 2004 - present
Friends of Durham Political Action Committee, Member of the Executive Committee, 1997-present; Chairman, 1998-2000. | 