Overview

As Chair of Dilworth’s Zoning & Land Use Group, Meredith Ferleger focuses on zoning, land use and transactional real estate law, representing residential, commercial, financial, and institutional clients. She has extensive experience navigating the development process in Philadelphia and surrounding municipalities including interacting with various municipal agencies and government stakeholders.  Meredith routinely seeks approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, suburban Zoning Hearing Boards, and other municipal approval boards. She has assisted in the formation of several condominiums and Planned Unit Developments. She has also pursued and defended appeals to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas of land use approvals involving landmark legal principles.

Additionally, Meredith counsels buyers and sellers of commercial real estate, and she endeavors to help her clients navigate all aspects of the land development process from acquisition, development, and taxation to eventual disposition.  Furthermore, Meredith routinely pursues real estate tax appeals resulting in the reduction in millions of dollars of assessed property value. She has also represented residential and commercial landlords throughout the City to comply with licensing and disclosure requirements as well as seeking tenant evictions through Municipal Court.

Meredith is a graduate of the Villanova University School of Law and School of Business where she earned her joint Law and Master of Business Administration degrees. She earned joint Bachelor of Science degrees from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.  Meredith is also active politically, serving as the appointed Solicitor to the Montgomery County Treasurer’s Office and holding elected office as a Commissioner in Upper Dublin Township.

Representative Experience

  • Representation of a publicly-traded REIT in its sweeping redevelopment proposal in West Philadelphia including securing novel legislation and all necessary land development approvals for the creation of millions of new square feet of office, commercial and residential space.
  • Represented a property owner in negotiating for the significant reduction of municipal liabilities related to taxes, utilities, and municipal fines across its portfolio of real estate in Philadelphia.
  • Represented a non-profit medical association in the sale of its Philadelphia-based headquarters.
  • Represented a client in developing state-wide, site-specific zoning analyses to assess the feasibility of opening business locations at each site and detailing the approval process for each municipality.
  • Represented a developer in securing variance approval before the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment for a mixed-use proposal in the City’s Kensington neighborhood that garnered significant public interest.
  • Represented a world-renowned brewery in seeking approval from the local Zoning Hearing Board for a significant building identification sign. 
  • Successfully negotiated a 30% ($3 million) reduction of a client’s real estate assessment.
  • Represented a developer in securing zoning and related approvals, including the creation of a Planned Unit Development, for a multi-phase housing development project.
  • Pursued and defended several zoning appeals in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas including drafting complex briefs and presenting oral arguments.
  • Argued a challenging real estate dispute in front of the Commonwealth Court concerning timing of the termination of the client’s real estate tax abatement
  • Represented an international retailer in securing land development approvals for the construction of several warehouse and distribution facilities across the Commonwealth.
  • Represents property owners in transactional matters such as drafting easements, acquisition and disposition of property, and other land development-specific agreements.
  • Represented medical marijuana provider in securing land use approvals to operate several dispensary locations around the Commonwealth.
  • Represented a large affordable housing developer in the approval of a seventeen (17) site development proposal including mixed commercial and residential components.

Professional & Community Activities

  • Member, Philadelphia Bar Association
  • Vice-President, Upper Dublin Township Board of Commissioners
  • Solicitor, Montgomery County Treasurer’s Office
  • Member, Jewish Federation Real Estate Group

Speeches & Presentations

  • Speaker, Philadelphia Real Estate Tax Briefing–2018
  • Speaker, Philadelphia Zoning & Land Use 2018: A Primer on Process, Tactics, and Inner-Workings of Philadelphia Development–2018

Professional Recognition

Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Representative Experience

  • Representation of a publicly-traded REIT in its sweeping redevelopment proposal in West Philadelphia including securing novel legislation and all necessary land development approvals for the creation of millions of new square feet of office, commercial and residential space.
  • Represented a property owner in negotiating for the significant reduction of municipal liabilities related to taxes, utilities, and municipal fines across its portfolio of real estate in Philadelphia.
  • Represented a non-profit medical association in the sale of its Philadelphia-based headquarters.
  • Represented a client in developing state-wide, site-specific zoning analyses to assess the feasibility of opening business locations at each site and detailing the approval process for each municipality.
  • Represented a developer in securing variance approval before the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment for a mixed-use proposal in the City’s Kensington neighborhood that garnered significant public interest.
  • Represented a world-renowned brewery in seeking approval from the local Zoning Hearing Board for a significant building identification sign. 
  • Successfully negotiated a 30% ($3 million) reduction of a client’s real estate assessment.
  • Represented a developer in securing zoning and related approvals, including the creation of a Planned Unit Development, for a multi-phase housing development project.
  • Pursued and defended several zoning appeals in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas including drafting complex briefs and presenting oral arguments.
  • Argued a challenging real estate dispute in front of the Commonwealth Court concerning timing of the termination of the client’s real estate tax abatement
  • Represented an international retailer in securing land development approvals for the construction of several warehouse and distribution facilities across the Commonwealth.
  • Represents property owners in transactional matters such as drafting easements, acquisition and disposition of property, and other land development-specific agreements.
  • Represented medical marijuana provider in securing land use approvals to operate several dispensary locations around the Commonwealth.
  • Represented a large affordable housing developer in the approval of a seventeen (17) site development proposal including mixed commercial and residential components.

Insights