Timothy O. Trant II
Biography
Tim’s practice focuses on real estate, business, and environmental consulting. Tim’s background in civil engineering offers an analytical approach and technical knowledge base that is unique in his field. In every engagement, Tim seeks to establish a clear vision of his clients’ objectives and then uses his entrepreneurial experience, business acumen, and detailed knowledge of the law to help his clients develop creative, economical, and practical solutions to accomplish their objectives. As a highly effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills, Tim is able to build consensus, implement solutions, and achieve results in the most challenging of situations.
Tim’s clients range from large, multi-national corporations to family businesses to individuals. His real estate practice includes: structuring acquisition entities, zoning/permitting, acquisition/development financing (including the utilization of low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bond financing), structuring of owner associations, construction, and leasing for commercial, single-family, multi-family, mixed-use, and industrial projects. Tim’s business practice includes: formation of entities and joint ventures, contract development, regulatory compliance, acquisitions, dispositions, and general corporate governance. Tim’s environmental practice includes: due diligence, liability assessment, permitting, representation before regulatory agencies, and Superfund site liability allocation.
Representative Matters
Real Estate/Land Use
- Relationship management and primary representation of a joint venture in the zoning, development, financing, and sale of a 5000-acre mixed-used Planned Unit Development
- Representation of developers in connection with acquisition of real estate, entity structuring, and financing of senior and family apartment projects utilizing LIHTC and tax-exempt bond financing
- Representation of a joint venture in its development of a 700-acre, neo-urban, mixed-use project including rezoning, environmental permitting, and property owner association planning
- Primary representation of multiple entities in a $25 million 1031 exchange to include reinvestment due diligence and consultation on projects ranging in type from raw land to commercial office buildings and ranging in geographic location from Florida to Boston
- Representation of a national developer in the due diligence, environmental permitting, transportation permitting, community development authority approval, financing, and acquisition of 230 acres for the development of a regional lifestyle (retail) center
- Representation of multiple groups in their rezoning, acquisition, financing, construction, and leasing of multiple commercial projects
Business/Commercial
- Formation of new entities and joint ventures
- Representation of numerous closely held companies in connection with contract development, formation of subsidiaries, restructuring, partner/shareholder buy-ins and by-outs, acquisition and sale of assets, financing, general corporate governance, and succession planning
- Representation of regional engineering firm in acquisition of local engineering firm
- Representation of owner/operators in restaurant acquisitions
- Formation, acquisition, and sale of dental and oral surgery practices
- Formation and acquisition of financial advisory practices
- Representation of multiple parties in pursuing franchise business opportunities
Environmental
- Multiple engagements for large multi-national corporations in assessing, negotiating, and allocating liability for Superfund sites across the country
- Representation of industrial processor in connection with remediation of a chemical release and associated enforcement actions by local, state and federal agencies
- Representation of lenders and prospective purchasers in conducting environmental due diligence for real estate acquisitions
Recognition & Honors
- Norfolk Land Use and Zoning Law “Lawyer of the Year”; Best Lawyers in America, 2025
- Best Lawyers in America, 2021-2025
- Top Lawyers; CoVaBIZ, 2017-2024
- Virginia’s Legal Elite; Virginia Business Magazine, 2009-2024
- Virginia Rising Stars; Law & Politics, 2010-2016
- Virginia Military Institute; Institute Scholar
- Society of Cincinnati Medal
- William & Mary; Chief Justice, Law School Honor Council
- Environment Law and Policy Journal
- AV® Rated; Martindale-Hubbell
Associations
- American Bar Association
- Virginia Bar Association
- American Planning Association; Member, Virginia Chapter; Member
- Newport News Bar Association
- Williamsburg Bar Association
- Urban Land Institute
- Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate
- Coastal Virginia Building Industry Association; Director
Education
- Virginia Military Institute; B.S., Civil Engineering, with distinction, 1998
- William & Mary Law School; J.D., 2002
Press & Publications
- 51 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2024
- 55 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America 2025, 7 Named “Lawyer of the Year,” and 13 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 36 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2024 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2023
- 54 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America© 2024, 6 Named “Lawyer of the Year,” and 10 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 44 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2023 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2022
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers In America© 2023, 5 Named “Lawyer of the Year” and 8 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2022 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 52 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2021
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America© 2022, 4 Named “Lawyer of the Year” and 8 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2021 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2020
- 46 Attorneys Named “Best Lawyers in America 2021”, 5 Named “Lawyer of the Year” and 7 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 45 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named CoVaBIZ Magazine’s “Top Lawyers” 2020
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2019
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2018
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2019 in CoVaBiz Magazine
- 31 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2017/18 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- BTI Industry Power Rankings 2017
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2017
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2016
- Manufacturing & Distribution Client Advisory – September 2016
- 32 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2016 and 4 Named as Rising Stars 2016
- 44 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2015
- 32 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2015 and 7 Named as Rising Stars 2015
- 45 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2014
- 29 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2014 and 8 Named as Rising Stars 2014
- 54 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2013
- 29 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2013 and 14 Named as Rising Stars 2013
- 55 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2012
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2012 and 14 Named as Rising Stars 2012
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2011
- 36 K&C Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2011 and 14 Named as Rising Stars 2011
- 39 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2010
- 31 K&C Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers & 11 Named as Rising Stars 2010
- Kaufman & Canoles Announces New Partners (2010)