Nancy Bainbridge Rogers

Attorney

Nancy works with real estate developers and land owners to get projects permitted and built. She assists on the front end with due diligence and feasibility, and then helps clients navigate the permitting process. Sometimes, when project permits are appealed or permits are not forthcoming, she defends or brings litigation necessary to get the job done.

She has decades of experience working with regulators and is a skilled negotiator with local government officials. Nancy has taken many projects through controversial proceedings and defended approvals on appeal in the courts. Her work includes real estate development projects in downtown Seattle, city neighborhoods, and surrounding suburbs and counties throughout the Puget Sound region.

Nancy is a stellar communicator who gets results—using her smarts, great connections, and polite persistent persuasion when needed. Clients can count on her to cut through red tape, use loopholes to advantage, and find the way around barriers to reach their goals expertly and efficiently. Nancy sees the law as a tool to achieve sensible growth for a rapidly expanding region like the Pacific Northwest.

She has significant experience applying local codes throughout Washington, including all of the important State statutes affecting land use, including the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), the Growth Management Act (GMA), and the Shoreline Management Act (SMA).

Unlike many current Seattleites, Nancy is a Seattle native. And unlike many attorneys, she holds a degree in botany. When not working with clients, you might find her working on upping her golf game. In the guilty pleasure department, it’s Dancing with the Stars. One of Nancy’s most memorable moments was first seeing the beach on Maui just at sunset—supporting her belief that timing is everything, in business and in life.

Areas of Focus:

• Setting strategy to achieve timely permit approvals. Coordinate consultant and client team to develop efficient and effective plan to navigate the permit process.
• Land use hearings and appeals. Present and support project permits in mandatory hearings, and defend client permits against appeals brought by upset neighbors and others.
• Resolution of land use disputes. Negotiate and resolve barriers to development projects, and litigate matters that cannot be resolved out of court.
• Conduct due diligence. Evaluating land use risks for potential property purchases.
• State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) compliance. Advise on preparation of SEPA documents, including Checklists, Expanded Checklists, and Environmental Impact Statements, and navigate environmental review process, and bring and defend SEPA appeals.
• Critical areas permitting. Advise on paths to comply with critical area protections, while allowing client projects to be developed.
• Crafting local and state legislation. Draft code amendments to enhance client opportunities to develop land, and shepherd same through the legislative process.