Larry Costich

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It’s not enough to know what the textbook answers might be. We need to know what ‎the right answer is for this client, and do it quickly and cost-effectively.

How I represent clients at Schwabe

As a real estate transactional attorney with a strong ‎background in land use and natural resource law, I ‎help real estate and development clients resolve ‎problems and move forward with projects ranging from ‎major commercial and industrial developments to ‎natural resource use and preservation. I represent ‎commercial, agricultural, and industrial clients, ‎developers, and port districts in real estate ‎transactions, financing, permitting, land use, ‎environmental and natural resource issues, and dispute ‎resolution. In addition, I assist clients with multi-family ‎developments by preparing declarations of restrictive ‎covenants and advising association governance. In all ‎aspects of my practice, I am committed to finding ‎practical solutions that achieve client objectives.‎

An engineer turned lawyer

My pragmatic counsel is rooted in years of hands-on engineering and ‎design experience. Before practicing law, I worked for 16 years as a ‎civil and environmental consulting engineer—managing property restoration and development, site assessments, due diligence investigations, and environmental ‎compliance. My technical experience in property development, land use, design, construction, compliance, ‎and finance and resource management helps me understand my clients’ businesses and translate their ‎problems into workable solutions.‎

Experience

Commercial & Industrial Real Estate

  • Assists commercial landowners and tenants with office and medical facility leases.
  • Provides guidance to a Washington port district for the development of a deep-water bulk grain export terminal and industrial property development and leases.
  • Represents industrial landowners in the acquisition of hundreds of acres of property for industrial park development, preparation of restrictive covenant and easements, and development of lease agreements.
  • Works with clients in development and leasing in the hospitality sector, including hotels, restaurants, brewpubs and wineries.

Natural Resources

  • Represents farmers in the protection of fertile lands from local government actions attempting to impose flood-control measures on farmland.
  • Successfully challenged a suit by timber landowners to regulatory restrictions to protect transferable development rights.
  • Represented a timber company, county fire district and private property owners in lifting access restrictions imposed by U.S. Forest Service.

Community Associations

  • Prepared declarations of covenants, conditions and restrictions for condominium and homeowner associations.
  • Successfully defended a community association against a challenge to its authority under its governing documents to lease commercial businesses for the benefit of community members (Roats v. Blakely Island Maintenance Commission, Inc.).

Education

  • Seattle University School of Law, Juris Doctor degree, cum laude (2001)
  • Clarkson University, Bachelor of Science degree, Civil & Environmental Engineering (1985)

Admissions

  • Washington State Courts
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Washington
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of ‎Washington

Memberships

  • American Bar Association, Trusts & Real Estate and Environment, Energy & Resource Sections, Member
  • King County Bar Association, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, Member
  • Environmental and Water Resource Institute Member
  • American Society of Civil Engineers, Member
  • Government Affairs Committee (Seattle Section), Former Chair
  • Architects and Engineers Legislative Council Washington, Former Chairman
  • Registered Professional Engineer, Washington

Community Activities

  • Persian Gulf War Veteran, U.S. Army (1985-1991)
  • Heartbeat Serving Wounded Warriors, Program Co-chair Volunteer for fundraising event
  • Washington Public Ports Association Legal Committee, Member

Outside Interests

All things outdoors—skiing, hiking, camping and boating.‎

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