Courtney E. Flora

Courtney counsels clients in all aspects of land use law. Her practice emphasizes the land use entitlement process in western Washington, including:

• Strategic advice and advocacy related to project conditions, State Environmental Policy Act (“SEPA”) compliance, critical areas, transportation concurrency, impact fees, vesting strategies, design review, Development Agreements, code amendments, rezones, and comprehensive plan amendments.
• Litigation of zoning and permit related appeals before Hearing Examiners, City Councils, boards, and state courts.

Courtney’s previous experience as a deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Snohomish County, responsible for advising the County Council and planning staff on land use issues, provides context and credibility when negotiating with permitting jurisdictions, leading to positive outcomes for clients. She also served as a law clerk in Division 1 of the Court of Appeals.  

• Numerous mixed-use/office projects in Seattle, including a 630,000 sq. ft. project on a full block site in South Lake Union and several skyscrapers in the Downtown Core.
• Multiple mixed-use projects in Bellevue, Redmond, Lynnwood, and Snohomish County, including Comprehensive Plan amendments/rezones, Design Review and Development Agreements.
• Townhome projects in Seattle, including a 120-unit project in Northgate.  
• Institutional Master Plan/projects (hospitals, universities, and churches) in Bellevue, Kirkland and Shoreline.  
• Large industrial developments, including a 1.2 million sq. ft. distribution center in Kent and a 1.3 million sq. ft. logistics center in Lacey.
• Negotiated dozens of Transfer of Development Rights agreements in Seattle, facilitating the development of millions of square feet of new commercial, hotel, and office projects and hundreds of new units of affordable housing.
• Broad Land Use Petition Act (“LUPA”) and SEPA litigation experience, including defense of SEPA appeals in Bellevue, Seattle, and other jurisdictions and successful invalidation of a site-specific rezone in the Washington Supreme Court.

• Super Lawyers, Land Use and Zoning 2022
• Rising Stars, Super Lawyers, Land Use and Zoning 2010-2012
• The Best Lawyers in America^© Land Use and Zoning Law, 2023
• WSBA, Environmental & Land Use Law Section, former Executive Committee and Nominating Committee Member  
• King County Bar Association, Environmental & Land Use Section
• Urban Land Institute Northwest
• Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association, Seattle
• Northwestern School of Lewis & Clark College, Alumni Board
• UW Professional Skills and Mediation Training Program

• Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, J.D., and Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
• Dean’s Fellowship
• Law Review Articles Editor
• Cornelius Honor Society
• University of Michigan, B.A., High Honors and Distinction