R. Robert Benaicha

"I enjoy turning difficult counterparties into problem solvers to get deals done on my clients’ terms. I save clients time and money by finding the common ground necessary to forge creative solutions to thorny problems."

Rob represents national and local developers, investors, and lenders seeking to acquire, sell, lease, develop, and finance all types of properties for diverse purposes. He guides clients throughout the development cycle, offering expertise in transactional and land use matters.

Rob regularly assists developers of single-family, multi-family, and condominium residential projects, placemakers creating new mixed-use live/work/play developments, developers of new retail stores and centers, as well as owners of office and industrial buildings and parks. In his ongoing engagements with both regional and national single-family developer/homebuilder verticals, Rob counsels them in all aspects of their business, including general corporate counsel and guiding them from site and lot acquisition through permitting, financing and development.

In addition to residential and commercial development, Rob has extensive experience representing developers, sponsors, utilities and lenders in the real estate aspects of developing utility-scale renewable and conventional power facilities across the U.S., and has assisted sponsor clients with bringing over 1GW of new solar PV projects to commercial operation over the past four years.

Rob has also been a law firm client, having previously served as the associate general counsel of a multi-state Federal Reserve member bank. In this role, he handled the origination and workout of a wide range of loan structures and assisted the bank's leadership in negotiating the unique regulatory challenges facing community banks in the post-Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) era.

Currently, Rob serves as outside general counsel for the World Green Building Council, an international NGO dedicated to collaborating with national green building councils and global climate action groups to increase the sustainability and health of the global built environment.

Outside of the office, Rob is the current Vice Chair of the Board of Northstar Academy, the Richmond area's preeminent school for students who have a disability and face academic, physical or social challenges. He is also a member of the Boards of both the Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate and the Greater Richmond Association for Commercial Real Estate, for the latter of which he also serves as Chair of the Legislative Committee.

Best Lawyers in America® for Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law, 2024 - 2025

Northstar Academy - Board Member, Vice Chair

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Real Estate Foundation - Board Member

Greater Richmond Association of Commercial Real Estate (GRACRE) - Board Member, Chair of Legislative Committee

Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate - Board Member

International Council of Shopping Centers

Richmond Bar Association

Urban Land Institute

American Bar Association

Virginia State Bar

Rob, his wife and their pre-teen son and daughter live in the City of Richmond.  Rob gets out to fish and golf as often as he can, which lately hasn’t been often enough, but he’ll settle for a good beer or scotch, watching sports and cooking.