(November 12, 2012, Falls Church, VA) – Reed Smith LLP, a leading international law firm, today announced that David S. Houston has joined the firm as a partner in its Real Estate Practice resident in the firm’s Falls Church, Virginia, office.
Mr. Houston was formerly a partner in the Tysons Corner office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where his practice focused on real estate development, with a specific focus in land use as well as retail leasing.
“David has extensive land use, zoning and redevelopment experience, as well as significant experience in commercial leasing, particularly in retail leasing,” said Dusty Elias Kirk, Reed Smith’s Firmwide Real Estate Practice Group Leader. “In the DC Metropolitan region, he has become recognized as a 'go-to' lawyer in this sector and, at Reed Smith, he joins a team of seasoned real estate attorneys with a reputation as leaders in the region’s development and zoning work. We are looking forward to providing his capabilities to our many clients.”
Mr. Houston has represented land developers, owners, companies, institutions, and lenders for more than 30 years throughout Fairfax and Arlington Counties. He has worked with clients to analyze applicable development requirements, prepare necessary applications, and present proposals in meetings and public hearings. He has advised on a broad range of real estate development types, including office and industrial parks, suburban regional malls, residential subdivisions, churches and private schools and has handled proceedings for rezoning, special exceptions and permits, conditional use permits, variances, comprehensive plan amendments, and overlay districts. Mr. Houston also guides real estate development clients by providing in-depth zoning and land use analysis and advice on a variety of complex expansion issues.
“Reed Smith's international platform and the significant work they currently do for all the major players in commercial real estate development across the country will allow me to not only expand my real estate practice and provide additional services to my current client base, but also offer my experience to new and existing firm clients," said Mr. Houston. “I have long admired this firm’s culture and results, and am very pleased to become a part of its long tradition of excellence.”
Mr. Houston has 20 years of commercial leasing experience including a concentration on retail leasing nationwide. In particular, he has considerable experience representing landlords and tenants in transactions ranging from department stores, theatres, big box stores, specialty retailers, restaurant and entertainment uses and in-line retail stores in super-regional and regional malls, lifestyle centers, neighborhood shopping centers, and mixed use street-level locations from coast to coast.
Before joining Pillsbury in 2000, Mr. Houston was a partner in the Tysons Corner office of McGuire Woods; prior to that, he was an associate at Wilkes Artis Hedrick and Lane.
A 1981 graduate of George Washington University Law School, Mr. Houston was ranked by Chambers USA as a leading Real Estate attorney in Northern Virginia in 2010, 2011 and 2012. He received his B. P. from the University of Virginia in 1978.
Real estate has long been and continues to be a core element in the growth of Reed Smith. With more than 160 lawyers worldwide, the firm’s Real Estate Practice advises on all types of real estate transactions, and is recognized for the experience of its integrated teams of lawyers acting on behalf of investors, developers, lenders and corporate clients. The group has seen significant growth, particularly following mergers with leading firms in London and Chicago and offers clients on the ground support across its worldwide platform.
“Land use is an important part of the firm's overall real estate practice in Falls Church," said Karen Fagelson, Managing Partner of Reed Smith's Falls Church office. “David is a mature, seasoned and successful lawyer with considerable stature in this region who will play a key role in the firm’s future land use and zoning work in the Virginia and Washington, D.C., areas, as well as in the expansion of our national and international leasing activities.”
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,700 lawyers in 23 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, technology and media, shipping, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.
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