Jeremy B. Root

Principal

jroot@bklawva.com

o. 703-691-1235
f. 703-691-3913

Jeremy B. Root

Jeremy Root joined Blankingship & Keith in 2003, and became a partner in 2012. He practices primarily in the areas of foreclosures and creditor’s rights, as well as commercial real estate and leasing.

Jeremy represents individuals and businesses in all aspects of commercial real estate. He serves as lender’s counsel to private and institutional lenders organizing and drafting complex commercial loan instruments secured by multiple types of real estate collateral, including multi-use, commercial office, apartments, hotels, and churches. He also represents numerous buyers and sellers in the acquisition and financing of commercial real property, including the preparation or review of purchase contracts and conducting due diligence review. In addition, Jeremy represents both landlords and tenants in the preparation and negotiation of commercial leases and lease amendments, including ground leases and reciprocal easement agreements.

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In the area of foreclosures and creditor’s rights, Jeremy represents a number of institutional lenders, such as regional and community banks and credit unions, as well as private lenders, assisting each client through the complex legal landscape of loan modifications and workouts, short sales, deeds in lieu of foreclosure, foreclosure, and often, bankruptcy. As a substitute trustee, he has conducted hundreds of Virginia foreclosures and accountings and, with his colleague Bill Casterline, has developed a special emphasis on commercial foreclosure sales (foreclosed $65M apartment complex; $115M apartment building; $55M mixed-use retail/commercial property). Jeremy frequently appears in bankruptcy court on behalf of creditors, whether filing relief from the automatic stay, preference defense, or objections to discharge.

Credentials

Education
  • George Mason University School of Law (2003) Associate Editor, Law Review
  • Wheaton College (1997)
Bar Admissions
  • Virginia State Bar, 2003
  • Eastern District of Virginia, 2003
  • Eastern District of Virginia, United States Bankruptcy Court, 2003
  • Western District of Virginia, United States Bankruptcy Court, 2006

Professional Honors & Activities

Professional Honors

  • U.S. News Best Lawyers in America - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships and Real Estate Law (2025)
  • Arlington Magazine, Top Lawyer - Bankruptcy/Creditors Rights (2022-2024)
  • Washingtonian Magazine, Top Lawyer - Commercial Real Estate (2022)
  • Northern Virginia Magazine, Top Lawyer - Real Estate (2023)
  • Super Lawyers, Virginia Super Lawyer - Real Estate (2019-2024); Rising Star (2013-2014)
  • Virginia Business Magazine, Legal Elite: Bankruptcy/Creditors Rights (2020, 2023-2024)

 

Professional Activities

  • Northern Virginia Bankruptcy Bar Association, President (2017-18)
  • Virginia Bar Association, Real Estate Section Council (2012 - present)
  • Presenter, "Real Estate Foreclosures" - 35th Annual Real Estate Practice - Virginia CLE 2017
  • Co-author, Chapters 3 and 15, "Bankruptcy Practice in Virginia" (2017)
  • Presenter, "Bankruptcy Appeals" - NVBBA Seminar (2016)
  • Author, Using "Gross-Ups" to Avoid Income Stream Variability, Commercial Investment Real Estate, Nov/Dec 2015. 
  • Presenter, "Section 362(d): Relief from Stay Refresher" - NVBBA Seminar (2012)
  • Faculty Member, "24 Issues in Foreclosures" - Virginia CLE Seminar (2011)
  • Presenter, "Advanced Foreclosure Issues" - National Business Institute Seminar (2011)
  • Presenter, "Fundamentals of Real Estate Law: Foreclosures and Bankruptcy" - National Business Institute Seminar (2008)