William L. Nusbaum
Bill Nusbaum focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions, economic development incentives, tax-exempt housing, industrial development and qualified 501(c)(3) bonds, hospitality transactions and alcoholic beverage licensing. His extensive experience includes the representation of owners of shopping malls, strip shopping centers, hotels and office parks in development, leasing and management matters. He also has represented both localities and prospects in economic development projects.
Bill is a member of the firm’s Economic Development Team and has served as vice chair of the firm's Hospitality Industry Service Group. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for Public Finance (2008-present), Real Estate Law (2012-present), Leisure and Hospitality Law (2021-present) and by Virginia Super Lawyers (2007-present) for Real Estate Law. He was named Norfolk's 2016 "Lawyer of the Year" for Public Finance Law by Best Lawyers®. Martindale-Hubbell has ranked him an AV attorney, its highest rating available.
Bill is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers; a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the American Bar Association; a member of the Virginia Bar Association; and a member of the Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association. He is also a member of the Real Property Section of the Virginia State Bar, having chaired the section and its Commercial Real Estate Committee.
Bill is the 2023 president of the Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate and serves on the board of directors for the Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate. He also serves on the Virginia-Israel Advisory Board and the Greater Norfolk Corporation's board of directors. He is a past board chair of both the Hampton Roads Workforce Council (formerly known as Opportunity Inc.) and the Virginia College Building Authority (two four-year terms), and served for 12 years on the Norfolk Airport Authority.
For his involvement for a quarter-century in the Riverview Village Business Association, the association created a community involvement award and named it after him and his wife, and he has served as legal advisor to the Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League for over 30 years. He has served on numerous committees and held prominent positions with many other associations and committees in the Hampton Roads area. To name a few, Bill is a past president and honorary life director of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia; past chair (two terms) of the Harvard Schools Committee for Southeastern Virginia; past chair (two terms) of the Norfolk City Democratic Committee; and past president, honorary director and trustee of Ohef Sholom Temple.
Bill received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1980. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in government, cum laude, from Harvard University in 1976. Before joining the firm, he was a partner with Hofheimer Nusbaum, P.C., which merged with Williams Mullen in 2004.
- University of Virginia School of Law (J.D.), 1980
- Harvard University (B.A.), 1976
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association - Real Property, Probate and Trust Section
- International Council of Shopping Centers
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
- Virginia Bar Association
- Virginia State Bar - Past Chair, Real Property Section
- Virginia Economic Developers Association
- Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate - President (2023); Past Chair, Legislative Affairs Committee
- Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate - Board of Directors
- Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association
- Opportunity Inc. (Hampton Roads Workforce Development Board) - Immediate Past Chair
Community Involvements
- Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith – Virginia Regional Past Vice Chairman
- Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, Inc. – Development Advisory Board, Past Member
- City of Norfolk's Riverview/35th Street Commercial Area Task Force – Past Member
- Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League – Legal Advisor
- Democratic Committee – Third Congressional District, Past Vice Chair
- Democratic Party of Virginia – State Central Committee, Past Member
- Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia – Past President and Honorary Life Director of Board
- Governor's Advisory Committee on Small Business – Past Member
- Hampton Roads Workforce Development Board/Opportunity, Inc. – Past Chair
- Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Small Business Financing Seminar – Past Co-Chairman
- Harvard Schools Committee for Southeastern Virginia – Past Chairman
- Norfolk Airport Authority – Former Commissioner
- Norfolk City Democratic Committee – Past Chairman
- Ohef Sholom Temple – Past President, Honorary Director and Trustee
- Tidewater Community College – Workforce Solutions Advisory Council
- Greater Norfolk Corporation – Board of Directors
- SBA Enterprise Community Business Fair – Past Presenter and Committee Member
- Virginia College Building Authority – Past Chair
Bar Admissions
- Virginia State Bar
Best Lawyers® – Norfolk "Lawyer of the Year" for Public Finance Law (2016)
The Best Lawyers in America® – Public Finance (2008-present), Real Estate Law (2012-present), Leisure and Hospitality Law (2021-present)
Virginia Super Lawyers – Real Estate (2007-present)
Martindale-Hubbell – AV-Rated
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities – Tidewater Chapter Humanitarian Award (2018)
Ohef Sholom Temple – Kurt Rosenbach Award (2010)
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia – Lighthouse Award (1999)
Democratic Party of Virginia – Grassroots Award
