James Lang

Pender & Coward, P.C., Virginia BeachJim Lang is a firm shareholder focusing his practice in the areas of environmental law. He has extensive experience representing residential and commercial waterfront property owners in environmental law issues, as well as business clients in a broad range of corporate matters. A published author whose numerous articles cover a variety of environmental law topics, he is also a frequent guest speaker at legal and business conferences and seminars on environmental law issues. Before joining the firm in 2005, Mr. Lang completed a 25-year career in the U.S. Navy starting as an E-1 fireman recruit and finishing as an O-5 commander, including 16 years as a U.S. Navy JAG attorney. Recent cases include representing a family-owned business that owns a seven acre parcel (value $6M) on the Elizabeth River. A neighbor clogged the waterway with 26 ships. Mr. Lang prosecuted a citizen’s environmental lawsuit in federal court that caused removal of the ships and eliminated all interference with client’s riparian property rights. He also represented a family owned business that owns athree-acre parcel which had been heavily polluted by its Fortune 500 corporate tenant who disposed of metals and hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater over the 30-year occupancy. The tenant was forced to clean up the environmental contamination and to compensate landlord for reduced property value due to stigma (2015).