Laurie Ballenger plays a vital role as Donohe’s Senior Vice President, Corporate General Counsel, and Secretary of the company’s board of directors. Her responsibilities encompass a wide range of activities, including real estate development, acquisition, joint ventures, financings, investments, construction, leasing, and management. With her expertise, Laurie is actively engaged in all phases of these endeavors across Donohoe’s six divisions.

Laurie has over 20 years of experience in commercial real estate law in both private practice and as a corporate executive. Laurie began her career in the District as an Associate in environmental law and land use at Beveridge & Diamond, PC. Laurie joined the real estate practice group at Shaw Pittman Potts & Trowbridge (now Pillsbury), where she primarily represented developers in the acquisition, financing, development, and disposition of office buildings, retail centers, hotels, multi-family properties, and undeveloped land. She subsequently served for nine years as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of The Artery Group, a privately-held commercial real estate company with a fifty-year history in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, where her responsibilities included oversight of litigation and risk management, financings, lease negotiations, the negotiation of purchase and sale and joint venture agreements, and serving on the Executive Committee for company management and strategic planning. Immediately prior to joining Donohoe, Laurie focused on commercial real estate development and transactions as a Principal at Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday LLC.

Education/Certifications

• J.D. with honors, University of North Carolina School of Law
• M.R.P., City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina Dept. of City and Regional Planning
• B.A., Art History, Davidson College
• Bar Admissions: Commonwealth of Virginia, District of Columbia, and State of Maryland

Professional Affiliations

• Federal City Council, member
• Urban Land Institute (ULI), member
• Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), member
• Washington Latin Public Charter School, Board of Governors (2018-present)
• Historic Mount Pleasant, former Board Membership chair (2008-2011)
• Calvary Women’s Services, former board member (1998-2002)