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 & Nishanian, P.C. as an associate in 2016, and became a partner of the law firm in 2022. Olaun has been practicing law in Virginia for 19 years.

The focus of Olaun’s practice is land use and zoning, and municipal law. In his land use and zoning practice, he advises developers, commercial property owners, and commercial realtors regarding the applicability of zoning laws, design guidelines, design and construction standards, environmental concerns, and comprehensive plan designations.

Olaun enjoys collaborating with civil engineers and architects on land use applications. He also enjoys meeting with government officials and community stakeholders to discuss the complexities of his clients’ pending land development proposals. He has prepared and filed land development proposals involving mixed-use developments, high and low-density residential developments, commercial/retail developments, religious institutions, industrial/storage uses, sign modifications, and data centers.

In his municipal law practice, Olaun provides legal advice and representation to governing bodies in Virginia. He is currently legal counsel for the Town of Haymarket and the Town of Quantico.

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.

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 he has received favorable ratings from lawyers and judges. 

In his free time, Olaun enjoys reading, paddleboarding, spending time with family and friends, and attending live music events. He lives in Prince William County with his wife and three children.

Q&A: Get to Know Olaun

When you are not practicing law, what do you enjoy doing?

I really enjoy attending live music events. I have always enjoyed listening to skilled musicians who are passionate about music, who have mastered their instrument and who know how to deliver a great music performance for the audience.


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
  • Town Attorney for the Town of Haymarket
  • Town Attorney for the Town of Quantico
  • 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

Awards

  • “AV Preeminent® Rating–Judicial Edition” – Martindale-Hubbell®.
  • “Trial Attorney of the Year” – Prince William County Circuit Court.
  • “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” – National Trial Lawyers Association.
  • “Top 40 Under 40” – National Trial Lawyers Association.
  • “Legal Elite” – Virginia Business Magazine.
  • “Leaders in the Law Award” – Virginia Lawyers Weekly.

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

“Olaun Simmons is smart, aggressive, thoroughly prepared and simply an outstanding attorney.”

Scott Nolan, Esq.

“I appreciate all the help from the attorney Olaun Simmons. Thanks to his help that he gave us during our judicial process where we could resolve our case in a satisfactory way. We were facing a zoning violation with Fauquier County due to not having a site plan for the property. In the process of creating the site plan for county approval there were multiple easements and deeds with other parties that had to be made and multiple court hearings to deal with since the county did not give us much of an opportunity to finish the site plan. Olaun did not put us to the side or lower our prioritization. He took our case with great care and always advised us on all possibilities. ”

Miguel Olazabal
View all testimonials

Related News

It’s My Property – I Can Build What I Want To! 

Virginia has a complex system of zoning laws in place to regulate land use and development. These laws can be confusing for property owners, especially those unfamiliar with the regulations that apply to a specific property. Our land use team aims to demystify Virginia zoning...

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Celebrating Excellence: Olaun Simmons of Vanderpool, Frostick, and Nishanian, P.C. receives Virginia Lawyers Weekly Leader in the Law Award

(Photo from Virginia’s Lawyers Weekly) At Vanderpool, Frostick, and Nishanian, P.C., we are thrilled to announce and celebrate the well-deserved recognition of Olaun Simmons as a distinguished recipient of the Leader in the Law, award presented by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. This prestigious award is a...

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Do your homework: Zoning Laws and the Pitfalls of Buying Vacant Property

Written by: Olaun Simmons Buying vacant land can be a great investment, but it’s important to do your homework before making any purchases. One major consideration is zoning laws, which can have a significant impact on what you can and cannot do with your property....

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Prince William County’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan: The New Path Forward

Written by: Olaun Simmons, Esq. On December 13, 2022, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors adopted a new 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan includes a new Land Use Plan, Housing Plan, Mobility Plan, Sanitary Sewer Plan and Electrical Utility Services Plan for the...

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Prince William County’s Pathway to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan: One Step Closer

Written by: Olaun Simmons, Esq. The Prince William County Board of Supervisors have been working diligently to finalize the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. When it is adopted by the Board of County Supervisors, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan will help guide future land use and development for...

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The Mixed Use District  – A Flexible Approach to Use and Density

Written by: Olaun Simmons, Esq. In 2021, Prince William County adopted a new zoning district entitled “Mixed Use District (MXD).” The new Mixed Use District seeks to provide a thoughtful approach to development because it allows for flexible land development, promotestransit-oriented development, and encourages a mix...

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Community Meeting with American Legion Post 114

Written by: Olaun Simmons VF&N’s Olaun Simmons attended a community meeting with American Legion Post 114 and People, Inc. to discuss the revitalization of the historic American Legion Post building and the development of duplexes on Prince William Street in Manassas, Virginia. If you have...

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City of Manassas Approves Special Use Permit for Building Expansion

Written by: Olaun Simmons City of Manassas Approves Special Use Permit for Building Expansion Olaun Simmons of Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. represented the Prince William Islamic Center in their pursuit of a special use permit to expand their place of worship located on Mathis...

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Town of Quantico: Chesapeake Bay Preservation

Olaun A. Simmons, as legal counsel for the Town of Quantico, Virginia, recently completed a lengthy and extensive review and revision of the Town of Quantico’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan in order to achieve compliance with Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. As...

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Four VF&N attorneys rated AV Preeminent®

Congratulations to our team of AV Preeminent® attorneys Randolph Frostick, Olaun Simmons, Michael Vanderpool & Kristina Keech Spitler! AV Preeminent® is Martindale-Hubbell’s highest professional achievement, a designation trusted worldwide by buyers and referrers of legal services. The process of Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ has been...

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LGA appoints Olaun Simmons as Vice-Chair of Outreach Committee

Local Governments Association appoints Vanderpool, Frostick, & Nishanian municipal attorney Olaun Simmons as LGA Outreach Committee Vice-Chair We are proud to announce that VF&N municipal attorney Olaun Simmons has been appointed by the Local Governments Association (LGA) as Vice-Chair to its Outreach Committee. The LGA...

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VF&N Welcomes Olaun A. Simmons-Municipal Practice

MANASSAS—September 2, 2016—Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. announced today that Olaun A. Simmons has joined the firm as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Manassas in its Municipal practice. Simmons brings more than ten years of experience in the Commonwealth where he worked...

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Land 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.