About John

Jack is head of Cooley’s real estate practice group and partner in charge of the firm’s Reston office. His practice focuses on real estate transactions, with an emphasis on the acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate, including the purchase, sale, development and leasing of office, industrial, retail, data center, life sciences, and technology-driven properties. He has substantial experience in representing landlords, tenants, lenders and borrowers in the leasing, financing, and repositioning of commercial property in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and the mid-Atlantic region. He has represented institutional and individual landlords and tenants involved in major lease transactions, data center leasing and development, and corporate headquarters projects.

Passions

Family

Data center technology

American history

I am passionate about commercial real estate and data center technology. Our team has been the key adviser to technology users, developers and institutions that have each brought transformative change to the Washington metropolitan area for many years.

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Experience

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Admissions and credentials

  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia

Rankings and accolades

Chambers USA: Band 1: Real Estate – Virginia: Northern (2020 – 2025)

The Legal 500 US: Real Estate (2025)

The Best Lawyers in America: Construction Law and Real Estate Law (2024)

Virginia Business: Virginia 500 – 2023 Power List

Washingtonian: Top Lawyers Hall of Fame (2022)

Bisnow.com: DC’s Top Real Estate Lawyers (2014)

The Washington Business Journal: Top Real Estate Transactions Lawyer (2008)

Virginia Business: Legal Elite – Real Estate/Construction (2003 – 2005)

Super Lawyers: Real Estate Law – Virginia and Northern Virginia

Memberships and affiliations

  • Fairfax Bar Association
  • National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
  • The Virginia Bar Association
  • Maryland State Bar Association
  • District of Columbia Bar Association
  • Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Association of Greater Washington, DC (CREBA)

Jack Lavoie offers significant expertise in complex lease transactions, notably for data centers and corporate headquarters. He represents both landlords and tenants. Jack is a problem-solver, and fantastic on the transactional side.

Client quote

He’s a fantastic lawyer and a pleasure to work with.

Client quote

Chambers USA: Real Estate (2024)

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