Brian Jackson
"Integrity, excellence and responsiveness are the hallmarks of exceptional client service. I approach every project with my 'A' game, and always with a sense of urgency to produce high quality work and meet my clients’ expectations."
Capitalizing on years of law firm and corporate in-house counsel experience, Brian brings insight and expertise to his current law practice as he represents clients in commercial real estate, government affairs and general business matters, including corporate business services and serving as outside general counsel to small and mid-size companies.
Brian co-chairs the firm’s commercial real estate development practice group. His real estate practice includes representation of commercial developers, lenders, builders and commercial landlords and tenants in a variety of issues ranging across real estate and general business areas. Brian has extensive experience with a wide variety of real estate acquisitions, sales and development involving retail stores, shopping centers, multifamily, office buildings and mixed-use developments. He also represents property owners and developers in land use and zoning projects throughout Virginia.
Representing clients in business matters and as outside general counsel, Brian routinely provides day-to-day advice and counsel to CEOs, in-house counsel, business managers, human resource officers and staff personnel on a variety of legal issues, such as contract review, negotiating and drafting complex commercial agreements, handling employment and governance issues, regulatory matters, government relations, legislative guidance and a range of strategic and policy issues.
Brian regularly assists clients as a consultant on government relations, public affairs and economic development projects including issue and project advocacy, public private partnerships and tax increment financed developments. Examples of Brian’s representative matters include:
Real Estate
Representation of developers in public-private economic development projects.
Negotiation and documentation of real estate sales and acquisitions for commercial, office and mixed-use projects.
Negotiation and drafting shopping center development agreements, operating and easement agreements, restrictive covenants and joint site work agreements.
Negotiation and drafting office, residential and retail leases and real estate development agreements.
Representation in zoning and other land use matters involving local municipalities, community groups and neighborhood associations.
Management of due diligence activities in connection with feasibility studies for acquisitions.
Handling government relations matters for developers and construction companies.
Business and Outside General Counsel Services
Counseling business managers on day-to-day legal issues across various corporate departments.
Development of standardized forms and legal procedures for corporate departments.
Extensive experience negotiating, drafting and reviewing complex commercial agreements and corporate transactions, including vendor contracts, asset purchase agreements, joint ventures and product sales.
Counseling owners and managers on employment issues, including hiring practices, EEO compliance, accommodating disabilities, termination of employees, drafting work-place policies, conducting misconduct investigations and drafting employment, consulting and non-competition agreements.
Due diligence for commercial transactions.
Primary responsibility for establishing a joint venture to create (and majority own) a de novo federal savings bank.
In addition to law firm experience, Brian served as vice president and general counsel for Ukrop’s Super Markets, Inc., a multi-division company that included retail, manufacturing and a bank holding company. He is a former Substitute Judge for the Commonwealth of Virginia and a member of the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, the Virginia licensing authority for attorneys which is responsible for ascertaining the qualifications of applicants and drafting, administering and grading the bar examination.
Recognition Named to "Legal Elite" (Administrative Government/Corporate Counsel), 2018-2020; (Real Estate/Land Use), 2017; (Business Law), 2016, Virginia Business; (Administrative Government), 2021-2022
Rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating™: Recognized by peers with the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical practice.
Fellows of the Virginia Law Foundation: An honor that represents less than 1% of all members of the Virginia State Bar and is conferred on lawyers who have maintained and upheld the highest standards of the profession, are outstanding in the community, and distinguished in the practice of law for at least 10 years.
Virginia Commonwealth University Alumni Star Award: Awarded for community, humanitarian and professional achievements and university service.
Virginia Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Fellows Award: Honored for promoting the VBA’s mission through outstanding work and long-term service.
Appointment by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, to the faculty of the Virginia State Bar Professionalism Course which is required for all newly-licensed Virginia lawyers. The faculty consists of some of Virginia’s best judges and lawyers.