Skip to Main Content

Meet Our Professionals

Laura D. Goode

Partner
Raleigh | 919.835.4648
Fax | 919.834.4564

Laura Goode advises a range of clients — from national and regional developers to large and small corporations to governmental entities — on their real estate needs. Clients turn to Laura for her ability to help them on large-scale projects and navigate the intersection of complicated transactions and land use law. 

Laura’s work includes assisting clients on commercial real estate transactions, including negotiating and drafting purchase agreements, easements, subdivisions, restrictive covenants, and leases. She represents clients throughout the full life cycle of development, from the initial acquisition of property, through due diligence and closing, and post-closing development needs.

In addition, she has extensive experience counseling clients on land use law, including securing rezonings, variances, and special use permits. She represented clients before local zoning boards and commissions in legislative and quasi-judicial land use decisions. Municipalities and businesses have also turned to her for assistance drafting or revising local ordinances. She has a thorough understanding of how land use law impacts the telecommunications industry in particular.

Laura uses her experience in both land use and transactions to take a holistic approach to clients' projects, helping them spot and avoid potential issues throughout the development life cycle.

Prior to joining Parker Poe, she practiced with a Southeastern law firm, managing all aspects of obtaining zoning permits in jurisdictions across North Carolina. Laura is also a former associate attorney general for the North Carolina Department of Justice. She gained extensive experience in civil litigation through that role.

While earning her law degree at Campbell University, Laura interned at the N.C. Department of Justice and the Wake County District Attorney's Office. She was also a member of the asylum law moot court team for two years.

Representative Experience

Acquisitions & Dispositions

  • Represented a real estate investment and development firm on the acquisition of an approximately 74-acre land assemblage in Knightdale, NC. Drafted neighborhood association documents to facilitate a mix of build-to-rent and for-sale products and coordinated real estate aspects for a post-closing $50 million construction loan, including local counsel opinion letter. 
  • Represented the developer in a $24 million acquisition of land to allow for the development of a master-planned community and acted as local counsel to the developer on the associated construction loan.
  • Represented a real estate investment firm in the disposition of two hotel properties in Florida, for a combined value of $51.5 million.
  • Advised a quasi-public organization on an $8.5 million acquisition of a parcel in downtown Raleigh to allow for the redevelopment of an entire city block. Assisted with terminating restrictive covenants to allow for the project.
  • Acted as local North Carolina opinion counsel for multiple developers on acquisition and construction loans. Provided review of loan documents to comply with state law.
  • Represented a national automotive dealer in acquisition and disposition of real estate assets across multiple states.
  • Represented a pharmaceutical manufacturer in the acquisition of an industrial property. 
  • Represents a regional transportation authority in acquisition and disposition of real estate assets, public-private development projects, and negotiation of easements, licenses, and associated agreements with private entities, municipalities and railroad companies to facilitate regional rail and bus projects.

Transactional Support for Entitlements, Subdivisions, and Development 

  • Assist and advise national and regional developers on subdivision platting, including negotiation of any easement agreements and similar documentation for plat approvals. Provide specific knowledge of local municipal processes and procedures, including City of Raleigh and surrounding towns and counties. 
  • Advise developers on development ordinance code interpretation and negotiations with municipalities during plan and permitting review processes. 
  • Advise clients on a range of agreements necessary for property development including:
    • Easements for temporary construction, access, utilities, stormwater, encroachment, among others.
    • Development, utility allocation, and performance agreements with municipalities on behalf of developers
    • Covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) for builders and developers as well as documents for the incorporation of homeowners' associations (HOAs)
    • Agreements and documents to satisfy zoning conditions and requirements 

Miscellaneous

  • Represented the City of Gastonia in negotiating and drafting the use and operating agreement, lease agreement, and economic development agreement for the minor league ballpark in the FUSE District in downtown Gastonia.
  • Assists international wireless infrastructure companies with managing and extending existing tower asset leases and/or acquiring additional property interests. This includes drafting and negotiating purchase agreements, leases and amendments, easements and deeds, along with assisting in all aspects of closing on each of these matters, including resolving title issues. Also, advise on land use issues and obtain necessary land use entitlements for an international wireless infrastructure company, including special use permits and variances for both macro and small cell infrastructure and equipment.

Loading content

Loading content

Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" in Real Estate Law, 2022-2025
  • Leadership Raleigh, Class of 2024
  • North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2022

Memberships

  • Urban Land Institute (ULI) Triangle, Transportation & Land Use Committee, Member
  • Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Governance Committee, 2024-present