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About Olaun
Olaun Simmons is originally from Ohio and his father was a member of the United States Army who served honorably during the Vietnam War.
Olaun joined Vanderpool Frostick and Nishanian, PC. as an associate in 2016, and became a partner of the law firm in 2022. Olaun has been practicing law in Virginia for more than 17 years.
The focus of Olaun’s practice is land use, zoning, and municipal law. Olaun regularly prepares rezoning and special use permit applications, zoning and comprehensive plan analyses, zoning approval applications, and zoning verification applications. Olaun advises developers, commercial property owners, and commercial realtors regarding the applicability of zoning ordinances, design guidelines, design construction manual regulations, and comprehensive plan designations.
Olaun enjoys working collaboratively with civil engineers and architects when preparing land development applications. Olaun also enjoys meeting with government officials and community stakeholders to discuss the complexities of our clients’ pending land development proposals. Olaun’s has filed rezoning and special use permit applications for mixed-use developments, high-density residential developments, commercial/retail developments, religious institutions, industrial/storage uses, sign modifications, and data centers.
In addition, Olaun has been instrumental in representing our clients with issues related to easements, zoning and building code violations, land purchases, deeds, and plats.
As a result of his stellar work and accomplishments over the years, Olaun has received the coveted AV Preeminent® Rating – Judicial Edition from Martindale-Hubbell®. The AV Preeminent® ranking is the highest peer rating standard given by Martindale-Hubbell®, and the Judicial Edition indicates that Olaun has received favorable ratings from lawyers and judges.
Olaun has served as General Counsel for the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and he is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Prince William’s Signature Program.
Olaun enjoys reading, paddleboarding, spending time with family and friends, and attending live music events. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and three children.
Q&A: Get to Know Olaun
Education
- Juris Doctor, The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law
- University of Oxford, St. Anne’s College, Oxford, England, Legal Studies Summer Program
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Morehouse College
Practice Areas
Bar Admissions
- Virginia State Bar
- Member of the Bar, U.S. District for the Eastern District of Virginia
- Member of the Bar, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Professional Activities
- General Counsel for the Chamber Foundation of Northern Virginia
- General Counsel for the Prince William Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Land Use and Environmental Committee, Virginia State Bar Real Property Section
- Member, Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA)
- Member, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
- Member, Prince William County Bar Association
- Prosecutor for the Town of Haymarket.
- Legal counsel for the City of Manassas,
- Member, Board of Directors, Local Government Attorneys of Virginia
- Member, Board of Regents, Leadership Prince William
- Member, Board of Directors, Smart Beginnings Greater Prince William
- Member, Board of Directors, Didlake, Inc.
- Member, Board of Directors, Greater Prince William Heath Center
- Treasurer, Prince William County Bar Association
- Member, Old Dominion Bar Association
Awards
- AV Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible rating
- Named “Trial Attorney of the Year” in Prince William County Circuit Court
- Awarded the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. “Excellence in Trial Advocacy”
- Named one of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” by the National Trial Lawyers Association
- Name “Top 40 Under 40” by the National Trial Lawyers Association
- American College of Trial Lawyers Outstanding Trial Advocacy Award
- Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite
- AV Preeminent rating with Judicial Notice, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible rating
Cases
- Gainesville Crossing Data Center: Successfully obtained a rezoning of the property to allow for a data center on the site.
- Sheetz: Successfully obtained a special use permit for a Sheetz retail establishment by untangling site layout and transportation concerns on the site.
- Expansion of Religious Institution: Successfully obtain a special use permit to allow the expansion and redevelopment of a religious institution.
Testimonials
View all testimonialsLand Use and Local Government
Experiences in Land Use
Churches and religious Institutions: Provide advice, consultation, and representation to churches and religious institutions during the rezoning and special use permit process.
Data centers: Provide advice, consultation, and representation to data center developers while working collaboratively with the civil engineers and architects.
Commercial and retail establishments: Provide advice, consultation, and representation to developers of large and mid-sized commercial and retail establishments.
Industrial and equipment storage facilities: Provide advice, consultation, and representation to churches and religious institutions during the rezoning process.
Experiences in local government
Encroachment: Resolved ongoing encroachment issue between the town and residents.
Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan revisions: Revised Comprehensive Plan and Chesapeake Bay Ordinance to comply with Department of Environmental Quality standards.
Building and Zoning Code Violations: Prosecuted and resolved numerous building and zoning code violations for localities.