David Gest > Ballard Spahr LLP > Philadelphia, United States > Lawyer Profile

David M. Gest has a wide-ranging real estate practice focused on zoning and land use matters. David has experience working with city planners, architects, landscape architects, and environmental and historic preservation consultants on major development projects.

He has worked with an array of city agencies and community groups throughout the zoning and historic preservation review processes, such as appearances before the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Philadelphia Historical Commission, and the Civic Design Review Committee.

David also has experience with many aspects of transactional real estate work, including complex due diligence review, property acquisition and disposition, construction agreements, eminent domain, and leasing of retail, office, and laboratory space.

Admissions

Community Design Collaborative, Board Member

Urban Land Institute, Philadelphia Chapter, Community & Economic Development Council

American Bar Association, Section of State and Local Government Law

Philadelphia Bar Association

Ballard Spahr’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council

Columbia Law School (J.D. 2010)
Submissions Editor, Columbia Journal of Environmental Law; Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 2008-2010

University of Pennsylvania School of Design (M.C.P. 2010, city planning/community and economic development)
Recipient, Edmund Bacon Award for Best Professional Project; Daniel J. Curtin Fellow

Yale University (B.A. 2003, architecture/urban studies, cum laude with distinction in major)
Yale President’s Public Service Fellow