Overview
"My clients are like precious gems to me. I realize how valuable they are to my success, and treat each one special. The investment of all my talents into their transactions has often led to friendships with my clients as well."
Laura Lee handles all client matters with great care and sense of urgency, a philosophy of law practice that has earned her the loyalty of a diverse client base of real estate professionals. Clients value her commitment to mitigating their risk exposure while ensuring smooth and efficient transaction closings. To serve the unique needs of her clients, Laura Lee frequently collaborates with other attorneys at the firm, leveraging their skill sets tailored to each situation.
Her clients include developers, end-users and lenders involved in the development, leasing, management of various commercial projects, spanning retail, office, multi-family, student housing, mixed-use, and healthcare facilities. With more than 33 years of experience in commercial real estate, Laura Lee is frequently sought after to navigate her clients through their most complex purchase, sale, and finance transactions. She has a niche practice representing developers and lenders in affordable housing projects with layered capital stacks involving LIHTC financing, bridge loans, VHDA or HUD construction financing and various grants and sponsor loans.
Laura Lee’s professional journey also includes past experience as in-house real estate counsel for two Fortune 500 retailers, Circuit City, and Richfood. Furthermore, she has contributed to academia as adjunct professor at her alma mater, William and Mary Law School, where she imparted knowledge on real estate transactions.
Actively engaged in giving back to the community, Laura Lee has held leadership positions in various non-profit organizations and industry trade groups. These include the Better Housing Coalition, RVA ToolBank, ULI, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network (the industry's premier business networking organization), ChildSavers and Fan District civic associations.
Recognition
Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 2013 - 2025
Named to “Legal Elite” (Real Estate, Real Estate Land Use), Virginia Business, 2008, 2010 - 2012, 2018 - 2022, 2024
Virginia Super Lawyers, Real Estate, 2006 - 2009, 2012 - 2014
AIA Richmond 2012 Chapter Citation in recognition of positive influence on the built environment in the City of Richmond
Chosen one of CREW’s Top 20 Women in Commercial Real Estate, 2010
Experience
Experience
Retail/Mixed Use
Negotiated cutting edge leases with some of the most popular concepts in the fast casual restaurant space, including Mellow Mushroom, Cava Grill, Tijuana Flats, First Watch, Mission BBQ, and Texas Roadhouse.
Ongoing lease negotiations with office and retail tenants at Libbie Mill – Midtown (Richmond), an 80 acre mixed use development in the heart of Richmond, including Shagbark restaurant, Lumber Liquidator’s world headquarters, and Crafted brewpub and eatery.
Counseled a European grocer entering the U.S. market in its first five site acquisitions.
Represented a regional developer of multiple grocery anchored neighborhood shopping centers on land assemblage, leasing, financing, and construction matters.
Finance
Served as counsel to EB-5 lender in construction loans for the University of Miami Life Science and Technology Park and the Pierce mixed-use high rise tower in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.
Regularly acts as local counsel in financing transactions involving national lenders making multimillion dollar loans secured by real estate in Virginia.
Perspectives
News
Speaking Engagements
Publications
Community
Beyond the Law
Beyond the Law
To balance out her hectic schedule between private law practice and hosting guests at her short term rental, Laura Lee regularly practices Ashtanga yoga, a dynamic, physically demanding practice that synchronizes breath and movement to produce an internal heat designed to purify the body. She also spends as much time as possible in Nags Head, North Carolina enjoying her ocean-front home and helping her husband run their vacation cottages rental business, Sea Spray Cottages. She is a loyal UVA sports fan, and during basketball season can be found standing, not sitting, in front of the television cheering on the ‘Hoos.
Services
Education
William & Mary Law School, J.D., 1990
University of Virginia, B.A., 1985
Admissions
- Virginia
AlertFederal Lease Terminations: What GSA and DOGE’s Efforts Mean for Landlords
AchievementVirginia Business Legal Elite Recognizes Hirschler Attorneys
AchievementHirschler Increases Best Lawyers in America Recognitions to 47 Attorneys, Two Honored as “Lawyers of the Year” and Eight as “Ones to Watch”