Virginia Harding has been a member of Gould & Ratner's Real Estate Group since 1975.  She was the first woman associate and then its first woman partner.  She has practiced as Of Counsel since 1995.  As a real estate attorney she has enjoyed long term relationships with clients and their properties having worked with one large development since 1975.  Handling multiple transactions for the same clients gives her an overview and understanding of clients' needs, concerns and properties.

She has in-depth experience representing the developers of master planned communities beginning with site acquisition through sell-out.  In the course of her career she handled transitions with many of the national builders and developers in the Chicago metropolitan market.  As a land developer's attorney, she is familiar with the annexation, zoning, and land planning processes.  She has handled innovative financing transactions for water, waste water, and other infrastructure improvement projects.  Known for her ability to draft complicated land agreements including Reciprocal Easement Agreements (REA's) and Declarations of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions ( CC&R's).  Experienced in the purchase, sale and financing of properties developed on ground leases and over air rights.  

Presentations

• Water from the Practitioner's Perspective (Coordinator & Moderator), The John Marshall Law School's Kratovil Conference on Water as a Natural Resource, November 2009
• Non-Engagement Letters (Presenter), Center for Real Estate Law at The John Marshall Law School's program on Ethics for Transactional Lawyers, May 2009
• Green Financing for Sustainable Development (Moderator), Law Bulletin Publishing's Building Green Chicago, April 2009
• Water Availability and Storm Water Management (Presenter), Half Moon Seminars program on Legal Issues in Real Estate Development, September 2008
• Providing a Green Future for Existing Buildings (Coordinator & Moderator), Chicago Real Estate Council (CREC), May 2008
• A Look at 1031 Like-Kind Exchange Transactions (Moderator), co-sponsored by the Center for Real Estate Law and the Center for Tax Law & Employee Benefits at The John Marshall Law School, February 2008
• Approval and Funding of Infrastructure in Illinois (Speaker and Panel Moderator), Lorman Education Services, February 2008
• Public Finance Transactions for Commercial & Industrial Properties (Panel Moderator), Law Bulletin Seminars, October 2007
• Commercial Lease Transactions (Panel Member), The John Marshall Law School Kratovil Conference on Real Estate Law and Practice, October 2007
• Access Issues and Real Estate Transacations, National Business Institute, September 2007
• Financing New Streets and Roads, National Business Institute, September 2007
• Closing the Transaction, Chicago Community Outreach Program of the Real Property, Probate & Trust Section, American Bar Association, June 2007
• Marketable v. Insurable Title, National Business Institute, April 2007
• Identifying and Resolving Title Issues: A Case Study, National Business Institute, April 2007
• The Takings Clause Clarified by The U.S. Supreme Court (Panel Moderator), The John Marshall Law School Kratovil Conference on Real Estate Law & Practice, September, 2006
• Common Ownership: Condominiums and More (Program Moderator), Professional Education Broadcast Network, September, 2006
• The Development Approval Process in Illinois - Overview of the Development Approval Process, Lorman Education Services, August, 2006
• Drafting, Terminating, Modifying and Amending Easements, Lorman Education Services, March, 2006
• Bulk Sales -- A Trap for the Unwary, Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association in Fall of 2005
• Law of Nonconforming Uses, National Business Institute's Land Use Law Update, 2005
• Drafting, Terminating, Modifying and Amending Easements, Lorman Education Services, 2003
• Due Diligence in Commercial Real Estate Transactions, Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Seminar, 2001
• Closing Documents, Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Seminar, 2000
• Real Estate Law in the 21st Century (moderator), The John Marshall Law School Kratovil Program, 1998
• Negotiations from the Developer's Perspective, Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Seminar, 1998
• Potential Risks Dry Cleaners Pose for Property Owners, Chicago Bar Association Real Property Committee Seminar, 1994

Professional and Civic Affiliations

• Adjunct Professor, The John Marshall Law School - Real Estate Transaction (J.D. Program), Drafting and Negotiations Skills Workshop (LL.M and M.S. Programs in Real Estate Law) and Leasing Ownership and Management (LL.M and M.S. Programs in Real Estate Law)
• Member: Chicago Real Estate Council
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Past President, Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association
• Member: Ely Chapter - Lambda Alpha International - The Land Economics Society
• Member: Advisory Committee: Center for Real Estate Law, The John Marshall Law School
• Founding Member: Illinois Real Estate Alumni Forum
• Member: Cliff Dwellers Club of Chicago
• Member: Commonwealth Plaza Condominium Association
• Class Correspondent: University of Chicago Law School Class of 1972

Articles

• A reminder that green buildings need green leases, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, July 30, 2010
• A look at arbitration clauses and mechanics lien laws, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, June 25, 2010
• Why real estate lawyers need to know about geology, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May 28, 2010
• The 800-pound gorilla in the green building movement, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, April 30, 2010
• Pricing water to encourage conservation, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, March 26, 2010
• Lawyers should be prepared, revisit receiverships, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, February 26, 2010
• Addressing Water Conservation and Real Estate, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, January 29, 2010
• New Tenants for Big Boxes, Probate & Property, January 2010
• Are Water Wars Coming?, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, December 4, 2009

News

• Virginia Harding Moderates Panel on "Dollars and Sense of Green"
• Top 2007 SSA Bond Deal
• Gould & Ratner Attorneys Participate in Seminar on Title Issues in Illinois