We Protect your Waterfront, Maritime, and Environmental Rights
Over 30 years of experience defending Virginians who live, work, and play on the water.

WHO WE SERVE

Virginia Residents

Residential cases directly impact the riparian and littoral rights of waterfront property owners. Whether you’re looking to build a pier on your property or need help dredging a waterway to access the water again, Jim Lang’s advanced legal degree in environmental law, the decades of legal experience built up by the four attorneys on the Pender & Coward  Waterfront Law Team, and the team’s experience working with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and other regulatory agencies, equips them with the hard-earned know-how that helps their clients clear up waterfront land development legal issues.

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Commercial Representatives

Your company has a lot on the line when acquiring commercial or industrial waterfront real estate.  You need a trusted, knowledgeable legal advisor for that and also when something comes up that threatens your ability to operate your waterfront business in the face of environmental and other types of challenges.  Our four-attorney Waterfront Law Team, backed by the strength of the Pender & Coward law firm, has decades-long experience in federal and state courts, in federal and state agencies, local boards and commissions, and  negotiating deals between private parties.

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DO YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS?

Pier

Piers and Docks

Building a Pier or Dock for Your Virginia Waterfront Property

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Oyster

Oyster Aquaculture

Oyster Planting Ground Leases, Floating and Bottom Cages

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Wetland

Wetlands

Virginia Wetlands Compliance and Provisions

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Barn

Poultry Farms

Industrial Farming Along the Eastern Shore

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National Park

Waterfront Land Development

Environmental Law Legal Services for Development

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Beach

Waterfront Property

Commercial and Residential Buildings on the Waterfront

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Our Team is Here to Help You

GET YOUR CONSULTATION

Our Law Practice Areas

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Waterfront (Riparian) Property Rights Law

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Jim Lang And The Team Maritime Admiralty Law
Maritime & Admiralty Law

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Water Pipes Environmental Law
Environmental Law

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See Examples of Our Team's Work

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Our Experienced Team of Attorneys

jim lang and company

Jim Lang and his team at Pender & Coward, P.C. work hard to protect the rights of Virginians who live, work, and play on the 3,285 square miles of water in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Jim and his team have decades of experience taking care of people like you throughout Virginia in all matters related to waterfront (riparian) property rights,
maritime & admiralty law, and environmental law.

In The Community

Going the extra mile. For Jim Lang, his fellow attorneys, and staff members at Pender & Coward, P.C., this Restore the Shore community service project was the natural next step in a more than three-year highly successful legal effort to clear an inlet of some 30 hulking, rusting vessels. Watch the video below to learn the story of the Restore The Shore Project.

"Jim's maritime background was really essential to putting this all together."

- Bob Kerr, Kerr Environmental Services

COMMONLY ASKED WATERFRONT LAW QUESTIONS


What are Riparian Rights in Virginia?

Riparian rights is a legal system that allocates the right to use water and bottomland among owners of waterfront property. Our experienced team of attorneys can help you navigate your riparian rights under Virginia law. Owning waterfront property is no small investment, and all waterfront property owners are purchasing their property and the riparian property rights that come with it.

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How Do I Build a Pier in Virginia?

A common reason for living on the water is so property owners can have access to deeper water through a pier. Building a pier may seem simple, but there are a variety of disputes that can arise and hinder construction. Our team shares the common pitfalls that waterfront property owners face when pier building.

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How Do I Use Riparian Rights to Establish a Riparian Area?

A riparian area is unique to each waterfront property. Under Virginia law, only a Court can establish the riparian area for a waterfront property. This process can be quite extensive and complicated. Learn more about the requirements waterfront property owners must meet to establish their riparian area.

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Do I Control What Happens on the Water at My Waterfront Property on a Creek, River, Bay or Shore of the Sea?

Waterfront property owners must depend on bottomland ownership if they want to control the water on their waterfront property. For properties on a creek, river, bay, or shore of the sea, the requirements for bottomland ownership may differ. Learn more about how bottomland ownership can impact your riparian rights, and how to navigate it.

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Recent Articles Written By Jim Lang and The Team

Jim Lang and his team are published authors and thought leaders in waterfront (riparian) property rights law, maritime & admiralty law, and environmental law.
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The Fight Over Virginia’s Membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Virginia’s waterfront property owners benefit from the decision of the Floyd County Circuit Court on November 18, 2024. Read on to learn more. Read the full article.
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I Want to Purchase and Then Develop a Property that has Wetlands - What Next?
Virginia is a “caveat emptor” state, meaning that the responsibility falls on the buyer to investigate and discover any defects in real estate property before completing a purchase. This article will explain how "caveat emptor" applies to environmental laws such as wetlands regulations. Read the full article.
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Bryan Peeples of the Waterfront Law Team Lends His Expertise to HalfMoon Education in Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Webinar
On October 10th, Waterfront Law Team attorney, Bryan Peeples, will join HalfMoon Education for a live, interactive webinar on the topic of Groundwater and Surface Water Regulation in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Read the full article.