Washington State is one of the most active real estate markets in the country. From high-density urban development in Seattle to large-scale commercial projects across the Puget Sound region, property transactions here are complex, high-value, and legally demanding. Working with the right real estate lawyer before a transaction closes or a dispute escalates can mean the difference between a project that moves forward and one that stalls in litigation for years.
The Pacific Northwest real estate landscape spans everything from transit-oriented mixed-use developments and major commercial acquisitions to land use entitlements, construction disputes, and eminent domain proceedings. Developers, investors, lenders, and growing businesses need counsel who not only understands the law but also knows the regulatory agencies, local governments, and court systems they will be dealing with.
Here are five real estate lawyers in Washington State who consistently stand out for their experience, track record, and recognition across the industry’s most respected legal directories.
1. John W. Hempelmann: Land Use, Zoning & Real Estate Development at Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S., Seattle
John Hempelmann is a founding partner and Chairman of Cairncross & Hempelmann, one of Seattle’s most respected full-service firms. With over 50 years of experience in land use, natural resources, and real estate development law, he has helped shape Washington’s land use legislation itself. His work spans landmark commercial, mixed-use, hotel, residential, and institutional urban developments, including Washington’s first master planned resort at Suncadia. He is Past Chair of the ULI National Transit-Oriented Development Council and has been named Best Lawyers in America Litigation–Real Estate Lawyer of the Year in Seattle in both 2014 and 2018, and has been listed in Best Lawyers and ranked by Chambers USA in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use continuously since 2010.
2. Stephen P. VanDerhoef: Real Estate Litigation & Business Disputes at Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S., Seattle
Stephen VanDerhoef is the senior litigation partner at Cairncross & Hempelmann with over 35 years of trial experience. He has tried more than 100 cases through verdict and appeal in state and federal courts across Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and beyond. His real estate practice covers distressed property transactions, eminent domain proceedings, complex commercial disputes, and securities and fraud matters tied to real estate. He was named Best Lawyers in America Litigation–Real Estate Lawyer of the Year in Seattle in 2023, has appeared on the Washington Super Lawyers list every year since 2001, and has been on the Top 100 Washington Super Lawyers list since 2014.
3. Donald E. Marcy: Land Use Entitlements & Real Estate Development at Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S., Seattle
Donald Marcy has spent over 40 years guiding major real estate development projects through Washington’s complex permitting and land use systems. He represents developers, investors, and property owners on all aspects of real estate development acquisition, ground leases, entitlements, design and construction contracts, financing, leasing, and disposition. Chambers USA respondents describe him as having “a wealth of experience in securing land use entitlements for major real estate developments” with a client base that includes some of the region’s largest and most high-profile companies. He has been named Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year multiple times: for Land Use and Zoning in 2014, Real Estate Litigation in 2021, and Land Use and Zoning Litigation in 2022.
4. Nancy Bainbridge Rogers: Land Use, Permitting & Development at Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S., Seattle
Nancy Bainbridge Rogers is one of Washington State’s most recognized land use attorneys, with over 30 years of experience helping real estate developers and landowners get projects permitted and built. Her work covers due diligence and feasibility on the front end, full permitting navigation including SEPA, the Growth Management Act, and the Shoreline Management Act, and appellate defense when permits are challenged. Chambers USA respondents have called her “the best land use attorney in Seattle” and “one of the best in the region for land use issues.” She was named Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year for Land Use and Zoning in 2021 and has been selected to Washington Super Lawyers from 2007 to 2023 and again in 2025.
5. Katie J. Comstock: Real Estate & Construction Defect Litigation at Levy von Beck Comstock Chastain P.S., Seattle
Katie Comstock is a shareholder at Levy von Beck Comstock Chastain P.S., a firm that has been awarded Real Estate Law Firm of the Year Seattle by Legal Insider (2025) and Best Construction Defect & Real Estate Law Firm Pacific NW by Global Business Awards (2024). Her practice focuses on construction defect litigation, real estate disputes, commercial landlord–tenant litigation, property insurance claims, boundary disputes, and homeowner and condominium association matters. She is a fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America and has been named a Washington Super Lawyer for three consecutive years, most recently in 2025, representing the top 5% of all Washington attorneys.
Choosing the Right Real Estate Lawyer for Your Situation
Each attorney on this list brings a distinct area of strength. Hempelmann and Marcy are the go-to names for land use entitlements and development permitting on large, complex projects. Rogers is widely regarded as the top land use counsel in Seattle for navigating the regulatory maze efficiently and protecting permits on appeal. VanDerhoef is the name that comes up when a real estate matter reaches or threatens to reach trial. Comstock is the right choice for construction defect disputes, HOA conflicts, and real estate litigation at the consumer and commercial level.
Washington State’s real estate environment is shaped by some of the most active local governments in the country, a dense body of state land use statutes, and courts that see a high volume of complex property disputes. The five lawyers on this list have each demonstrated, through decades of practice and consistent peer recognition, that they understand how to operate effectively in this environment.
Whether you are acquiring a development site, defending a permit on appeal, navigating a contested eminent domain proceeding, or resolving a construction defect claim, the right legal counsel has an outsized impact on the outcome. For brands and developers working in Washington State, getting that counsel in place early, not after a problem has already taken root, is always the smarter approach.
