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William McKay Shipp, Esquire

Principal, Managing Director

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Main: 301.572.7900
Fax: 301.572.6655

7850 Walker Dr #310
Greenbelt, Maryland 20770

William M. Shipp has been immersed in all areas of land use and zoning practice in Prince George’s County for over thirty years. Through his extensive involvement in every level of the development process, Mr. Shipp has successfully assisted his developer, builder, and business owner clients with issues related to zoning, historic preservation, master plan analysis, preliminary plan and subdivision, site plan approvals, nonconforming use certification, permit and bonding, road improvements, adequate public facilities, and the resolution of zoning violations. Mr. Shipp regularly represents clients before the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, the Department of Public Works & Transportation, the Department of Permits, Inspections and Enforcement , and other Prince George’s County agencies. As a past Chairman of the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission, Mr. Shipp is uniquely qualified in the practice of historic preservation law and has appeared before the Commission many times. Additionally, Mr. Shipp has extensively represented clients before local municipal authorities throughout Prince George’s County. In conjunction with his land use and zoning practice, Mr. Shipp also assists clients in the areas of real estate transactions and commercial finance.

Through the course of his career, Mr. Shipp has worked on many substantial residential, commercial, mixed-use, and transit-oriented developments, including Prince George’s Regional Medical Center, Westphalia Town Center, New Carrollton Town Center, National Harbor, IKEA, Bowie Town Center, and NOAA National Center for Weather and Climate Prediction. He is particularly skilled in implementing strategies designed to achieve clients’ mixed-use and transit-oriented project goals and in leading development teams to secure the necessary governmental approvals required to bring their projects to realization. In 2010 he was named a Maryland Power Player by the Gazette of Politics and Business.

Mr. Shipp is accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a LEED Accredited Professional. He utilizes his knowledge of the LEED certification process and of green building issues in general to counsel owners, construction consultants, and others involved in the development, construction, and financing of sustainable commercial buildings.

Mr. Shipp has demonstrated his dedication to Prince George’s County and the Greater Washington through his extensive participation in professional, civic, and charitable organizations. Mr. Shipp is a past Chairman of the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce is a life Director of the Maryland Building Association. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Prince George’s affiliate of Community Foundation and is a past member of both the Prince George’s County Public Schools Management Oversight Committee and the Prince George’s County Housing Authority. Mr. Shipp is also a member of the Leadership Washington Class of 2000 and served on the Board of Directors of The Family Tree, a statewide nonprofit whose mission is to prevent child abuse. He is a past Trustee of the Ballet Theatre of Maryland. Mr. Shipp is admitted to practice in Maryland. He is a member of state and local bar associations and is a member of the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission.

Education
  • Juris Doctor, George Washington University Law School, (1985)
    Admitted to the Court of Appeals of Maryland and the United States District Court for Maryland.
  • Bachelor of Arts with distinction in Urban Affairs, George Washington University, (1982)
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
  • Maryland
Professional Memberships and Civic Activities
  • Prince George’s County Bar Association
  • Maryland State Bar Association
  • J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association
  • Member, Attorney Grievance Commission
  • Past Chairman, Prince George’s affiliate of Greater Washington Community Foundation (2011 - 2019)
  • Life Director, Maryland Building Association
  • Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ballet Theatre of Maryland (2009 - 2014)
  • Member, Superintendent’s Business Advisory Committee (2010 - 2015)
  • Member, Board of Directors of Foundation for Applied Construction Technology for Students (FACTS) (2010 - present)
  • Past Member, Junior Achievement, Prince George's Advisory Council
  • Member, Board of Directors of The Family Tree, a charitable organization dedicated to child abuse prevention in Maryland (1996 - 2013)
  • Former Chairman, Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce
  • Prince George’s County Public Schools Management Oversight Panel
  • Leadership Washington Class 2000
  • County Executive’s Permit Process Review Task Force (2002)
  • County Council’s Zoning Task Force (2003)
  • Former Chairman, Prince George’s County Housing Authority (1994 - 2002)
  • Former Chairman, Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission (1993 - 2002).
  • Former Chairman, Board of Management for the Prince George’s County YMCA.
Professional Qualifications
  • Extensive and effective representation of development projects in Prince George’s County, with an emphasis in successfully guiding business leaders through County and State processes and working with appointed and elected officials, and County Boards, Commissions, and community groups.

  • Seasoned legal professional practicing law in Prince George’s County for over 30 years. Proven commitment to the greater Prince George’s community through volunteer efforts including a variety of citizen boards and commissions, business associations and charitable organizations.

  • LEED Accredited Professional with a thorough understanding of green building techniques and the knowledge and skills to facilitate the LEED certification process for new commercial construction projects.

  • Served as a member of two County Executives' transition teams providing input and legal analysis to reform the education system and the development review and permit process.

  • Served four years as a member of the Prince George’s County Management Oversight Panel (“MOP”), a citizen board appointed by the Governor, the County Executive and the Chairman of the Board of Education to oversee the implementation of an independent audit of the County’s school system.

  • Served as Co-Chair of former County Executive Wayne Curry's Education Policy Advisory Group, was the County Executive's representative on the Board of Education's Superintendent Search Criteria Committee, and was appointed by the County Executive to the Housing Policy Task Force. Served as a member of the Prince George's County Growth and Economic Development Task Force. Served as a Director of the County's Financial Services Corporation.

Work Experience
  • Managing Director; O'Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore, P.A., Calverton, Maryland (October 2011 to Present)

    Direct the overall business strategies and operations of a law firm that specializes in administrative law and government regulatory matters; commercial and real estate transactions; and litigation of general liability, employment practices, and estate planning and administration. Protect and promote the legal interests of (our) clients and provide guidance and planning alternatives to accomplish their objectives. Trustee of the Firm’s 401K profit sharing plan.

  • Principal; O'Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore, P.A., Calverton, Maryland (September 2006 to Present)

    Practice Group Leader of the Administrative Law and Government Relations Practice Group at the firm. Primary practice concentrations in land use, historic preservation, zoning and transactional law. Focused on issues concerning due diligence investigations, zoning, subdivision, site plan reviews, permitting, bonding and construction. Appearance before numerous administrative bodies and County and municipal councils. Projects of note include University of Maryland East Campus, Bowie Town Center, IKEA, FDA College Park Office, NOAA National Center for Weather and Climate Prediction, NACO mapping facility, The Gazette Regional Headquarters, and numerous mixed use and residential communities in Prince George’s County.

  • Fossett & Brugger, Chartered (August 1985 to June 2006 when merged with O'Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore, P.A.)


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