Leading Virginia Pier and Dock Legal Services
Jim Lang Waterfront Law, a division of Pender & Coward, is the only law firm in Virginia with a dedicated, four-attorney, waterfront property law team. There are many reasons that people want to live on the water, but one of the most common is to gain access to deeper water by way of a pier. Unfortunately, building a pier is not as easy as it seems and disputes over piers are a large part of our law practice.
Our experienced riparian rights attorneys have experience handling a wide range of pier cases whether in court or before regulatory agencies such as the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Our deep ties in the industry allow us to provide as many resources as possible to give our clients an advantage. For this reason, clients throughout Virginia seek us out.
If you are thinking of building a pier, or if you have any other concerns about piers and your riparian property rights, contact our team of waterfront lawyers. We're standing by and ready to help navigate your unique situation.
Our Waterfront Law Team's Pier Case Experience
Our leading riparian rights attorneys have extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to handling pier cases ranging from helping clients build a pier to ensuring clients can keep their community pier boat slips. Other pier case examples include, but are not limited to:
- Difficulty acquiring permits from regulatory agencies to build a pier
- Preventing construction of a pier because it will block your view or interfere with navigation
- A homeowner wants everyone's boat slips taken away for a community pier because he does not have a boat slip
Recent Pier Case Victory
Our waterfront law firm recently won a case where we represented the owners of a large community pier on the Potomac River in Northern Virginia. A member of the community who did not have a boat slip on the pier attempted to take away everyone else's boat slips. After years of litigation, and a hard fought three-day trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court, our waterfront law team members helped deliver a victory for our clients.
Useful Pier & Dock Case Resources
How to Build a Pier in Virginia? Waterfront Property Rights Explained
There is a lot to know about building piers, but here are five things that all potential buyers should understand when buying waterfront real estate.
Pier Case Victory For Homeowners In Fairfax County
Learn how our extensive knowledge of Virginia community pier laws ensured a victory that prevented residents' boat slips from getting taken away.
We Protect Your Waterfront, Maritime, and Environmental Rights
Pier & Dock Case Client Testimonials
"Hi Jim and Jeff, Yay!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! . . . I can't tell you how relieved I am and how much I appreciate your efforts on our behalf! . . . Jim and Jeff, we always were confident that we found not only the right attorneys in you but also true advocates for our case. Thank you so much for your diligence and for the thoughtful and thorough way you represented us!"
— Mary S.
"My husband, Paul, and myself cannot say enough good things about our experience with Pender and Coward. We worked with James Lang and Jeff Wilson on a rather complicated issue that we were not sure we could get a solution to. However, because of their professionalism, their vast knowledge and the ease with which they worked with us, it ended up to be a great success story."
— Louisa F.
"Our homeowners' association originally hired Pender & Coward to represent us in our bid to obtain additional pier slips for our community pier located on the Potomac River in Lorton, Virginia. Even though we live in Northern Virginia, and he is located in Virginia Beach, Jim Lang came highly recommended as an expert in riparian rights. Best of all, after a hard fought three-day trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court...we won!"
— Ann Poloncak
Explore All Virginia Waterways
We work in one of the longest and most diverse coastlines in the world — 7,213 miles. Click below to see examples of our work in other Virginia waterways.
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