Related Practices

Admitted to Practice

Washington, 1968
U.S. Supreme Court, 1976
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1976

John E. Keegan

Partner

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Seattle

T206.757.8074

F206.757.7074

John Keegan counsels clients in land use, real estate and municipal law matters, principally in the Pacific Northwest. He has extensive experience in large projects, including master plan developments, residential plats, hospital and medical facilities, shopping centers, transmission towers, warehouses, gravel extraction, and utility and solid waste handling facilities. John represents developers of residential, commercial and industrial property as well as government agencies.

John's clients include: City of Everett, Green Crow, Hapsmith Company, Olympic Property Group/Pope Resources, Pacific Retirement Services, Plywood Supply, ProBuild, Providence Hospital Everett, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle Children's Hospital, Sound Transit, Valencia Capital Management, Viacom Outdoor, Veolia Water America, and Waste Management.

A published author, John has penned the novels "Clearwater Summer" (Carroll & Graf, 1994), "Piper" (The Permanent Press, 2001), and "A Good Divorce" (The Permanent Press, 2003).

Representative Experience

Energy project development for City of Everett, Wash.

Negotiated development and licensing agreement between major municipal water supplier and hydroelectric power generator. (Ongoing)

Outdoor sign development for CBS Outdoor

Represented client in successful challenge to county sign ordinance and in numerous governmental takings cases. (Ongoing)

Real estate development for major municipality in Washington State

Relocation of BNSF Railway track and preparation of 150-acre riverfront site for mixed-use development. (Ongoing)

Real estate development for major regional transit authority

Development and permitting of regional transit centers and light-rail facilities in three-county Puget Sound (Wash.) metropolitan area, including successful defense in litigation challenging such development. (Ongoing)

Real estate development for Seattle Children's Hospital

Development, permitting, and implementation of buildout, including successful challenges seeking to overturn, the long-term master plan for 1.2 million square feet of pediatric hospital and outpatient medical services. (Ongoing)

Real estate development siting project for Seattle Children's Research Institute

Acquisition, development and permitting for a one million square-foot medical research center in downtown Seattle. (Ongoing) Read more

Master plan hospital and medical center development

Development and implementation of, including successful defense of suits contesting, the master plan for the expansion of Providence Hospital Everett. (2011)

New facility siting and development for Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Represented Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for the siting and development of a new proton therapy center in Seattle. (2009) Read more

Additional Qualifications

Principal author of numerous planning, zoning and other regulatory ordinances
Instrumental in drafting and obtaining passage of Washington State transportation and other legislation
Frequent speaker in Continuing Legal Education classes on land use and real estate issues

Professional & Community Activities

American Bar Association
Seattle-King County Bar Association
Past Chairman, Environmental and Land Use Section, Washington State Bar Association
General Counsel, Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County

Professional Recognition

Named one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Washington) by Chambers USA, 2008-2012; Received "Band 1" ranking, 2012
Selected by Best Lawyers as Seattle's "Lawyer of the Year" in Land Use & Zoning, 2011
Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers, 2001-present; named in Land Use & Zoning Law, 2010-present
Selected to "Top 100 Washington Super Lawyers" by Thomson Reuters, 2009-2010; "Washington Super Lawyers," 2004-2012
Listed in "Who’s Who in American Law"