P. DAVID TARTER

For more than 20 years, a broad range of Northern Virginia builders, developers, property owners, and entrepreneurs have come to the firm’s founder, P. David Tarter, for his comprehensive understanding of business and real estate law and its application to the region.

Tarter’s method is to keep a close and detailed eye on all of his projects. He handles many cases from start to finish, overseeing every critical phase from site analysis, contract preparation, and title review, to land use and entitlement approvals, and project financing. He often takes a project ‘home’ preparing sales contracts, subdivision, community association, and other development documents.

In addition to being a lawyer, Tarter has also been a lawmaker. He was elected to a record five terms as Mayor of the City of Falls Church, where he focused his efforts on the redevelopment of the City’s commercial corridors. Tarter’s experience extends to the broader region where he served as Chair of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and its member jurisdiction’s 2.5 million residents.  He has also served as President of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments with member governments from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Before joining the Falls Church City Council, he served as Chair of the City’s Economic Development Authority where, under his leadership, the award-winning “Little City” brand was created to promote Falls Church and its enterprises to potential residents and businesses. He also served as interim City Attorney for Falls Church.

Tarter’s passion for real estate began at an early age. He obtained a real estate agent’s license when he was just 18. After practicing at a large, national American Lawyer 100 firm, he honed his skills and gained valuable client-side perspective working in the field as an acquisition manager and general counsel for an active local builder and developer. Soon after that he was a name partner at a law firm with deep local roots handling complex, multi-phase projects in Northern Virginia. His diverse, hands-on work at the firm also had him arguing cases before local Boards of Supervisors as well as the Virginia Supreme Court.

Because of his meticulous attention to detail and personal attention, Tarter’s legal fingerprints are all over some of the most high-profile and successful projects and real estate in Northern Virginia.

Tarter is also recognized by his peers. He has received a Martindale-Hubbell “AV” (Preeminent) rating, the highest available, from his legal colleagues and has been named a “Top Lawyer” by Northern Virginia and Arlington Magazines. He has also received a “Superb” rating from AVVO, its top ranking.

With such a wide breadth of experience, Tarter’s views are sought by other lawyers. He has served as a continuing legal education speaker and lecturer on real estate development, land use, local government and title issues. He has also authored publications on real estate matters.

Raised in Northern Virginia, Tarter was educated at the University of Virginia, the London School of Economics, and the University of Virginia School of Law. Though proud of his deep roots in Virginia, he has also lived and worked extensively overseas including in Riga, Latvia; Tokyo, Japan; and London, England.