Green building, sustainability standards, and LEED certification were becoming increasingly important for lawyers practicing in construction, land use, and real estate law. In this Virginia Lawyers Weekly article, Jonathan C. Kinney and Timothy R. Hughes explain that attorneys working in these fields needed to understand the regulatory systems, certification programs, and risk allocation issues associated with LEED-accredited projects. The article emphasizes that lawyers advising developers, contractors, property owners, and design professionals needed a strong understanding of how sustainability requirements could affect contracts, project approvals, financing, insurance, and liability. Kinney and Hughes note that the rapid pace of change in green building standards required attorneys to stay current in order to properly advise clients about both risks and opportunities.

LEED certification and sustainability-related requirements were becoming increasingly common in both private and public construction projects. The article highlights why attorneys practicing in land use, construction, and real estate needed to understand these systems in order to help clients navigate regulatory obligations, project risks, and evolving industry standards.