“Summer” Spotlight - Catherine Buell

1. What attracted you to the Real Estate practice area?

Real estate makes sense to me, especially contracts. Deals are logical and I enjoy being in charge of “outlining the game.” While attending law school at Georgetown, I had a great property professor and aced the course. I came to Patton Boggs as an associate in 2004 and began working with the real estate team, which is great – they’re a dynamic group of people with a range of specialties.


2. What is the most challenging and or rewarding deal you’ve worked on, and why?

I am extremely passionate about the Community of Hope pro-bono case which I’ve been working on for two years. Community of Hope offers a range of programs for low-income and homeless families and individuals in the DC area.  Recently, Community of Hope received part of a $30 million grant to build a medical office building east of the Anacostia River. It has been one of the most complex deals I have worked on. I’ve been involved with everything from development agreements to ground leases to providing advice on “local politics.”

3. Recently, you were appointed as the first female chair of DC’s Historic Preservation Review Board by Mayor Adrian Fenty. What is your first priority as chair and what influenced you to get involved with the board?

Supporting the recent movement in the preservation world to redefine what is “significant” by developing innovative guidelines that speak to “green,” energy-efficient preservation and restoration projects.  The goal of the board is to support sustainable development in the District of Columbia’s 40 plus historical districts.  As the City continues to grow, we want to make sure that the abundant supply of post-war era buildings are adapted and reused for modern use. As chair of the board I want to make a difference by being not only thoughtful and logical, but also supporting new, modern approaches to historic preservation in a world-class city like Washington D.C.

4. Speculators say that being chair of the board will be a full time job. Have you pledged to stay with the firm? If so, how do you plan on managing two things you are very passionate about?

During the last two years as a member of DC’s Historic Preservation Review Board and an associate at the firm, I had no choice but to get the hang of it. I manage my time and keep myself organized. Preservation and history are topics of intense interest to me and I couldn’t be luckier to have the opportunity to work on projects that I am passionate about. I’ve become accustomed to the pace of waking up early and getting things done.

5. If you had the chance to mentor a young lady, what advice would you give her?

Start with something you are passionate about and that holds your interest. Keep yourself challenged and work with good, smart people who will teach you and most importantly listen to you. If you follow those wisdoms, there is no doubt you will be unstoppable.