Assistant: Rebecca L. Schaffer (rschaffer@rjglaw.com)
Mr. Van Loon is the chairman of the firm’s Real Estate and Environmental Law Practice Groups. For nearly 30 years, his practice has focused on the representation of banks, borrowers and developers relative to the financing of commercial and residential projects including IDA (tax exempt) financing, tax free bond financing, construction lending, commercial mortgage financing together with zoning, planning and real estate development projects for office, retail, warehousing and condominium uses. His clients also include Colleges and Universities and other non profits who he advises on real estate, financing, and other matters and issues facing IRS 501 (c) (3) entities. In the environmental law arena, Mr. Van Loon represents owners, operators, and lenders before regulatory agencies and with respect to compliance matters and transactional issues. He is also one of the leaders of the firm’s Oil and Gas Rights Practice and dedicates a significant portion of his practice to assisting property owners of land on the Marcellus Shale.
Personal Interests: Golf, Squash, Military history
Education
- Wilkes University ( B.A., summa cum laude, 1975)
- Temple University ( J.D. 1978; LL.M.- Labor, 1982)
Bar Admissions & Memberships
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Military Appeals (1978) ( LT, JAGC, USNR, 1978-82)
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States Supreme Court
Noteworthy
- Speeches:
- Mr. Van Loon has lectured for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and Lorman Educational Services on environmental and real estate development issues, including zoning, planning and regulatory taking issues. He is also a frequent presenter to realtors, civic and community groups on oil and gas topics.
Representative Clients
- Lead real estate counsel- purchase of 18,000 acres from bankrupt debtor
- Bank counsel- $62.0 Million bank qualified tax free financing of cogen facility
- Borrower counsel -$85.0 Million bank loan for wholesale distributor
- Bank counsel- $75.0 Million asset based financing for manufacturer
- Real estate counsel for zoning, planning and construction of $200 Million recreational facility
- Developer counsel with respect to over 1.0 M square feet of office space
- Owner counsel for multiple hunting clubs addressing oil and gas issues
- Owner counsel for negotiation of numerous oil and gas leases
Professional Affiliations
- Pennsylvania Bar Association - Member, Real Estate & Trusts, Environmental and Mineral Rights
- Pennsylvania Bar Association - Member, Corporate and Banking Law Sections; Member of the Bulks Sales Tax Law Task Force of Business Law Section
Community Affiliations
- Salvation Army Advisory Board, Wilkes-Barre Corps -(Chairman 1995-1997)
- Kirby Family House, (Chair 1998-present)
- Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Wilkes University, Board of Managers
- King's College Adjunct Faculty member (1988-1990)
- Council Misericordia (2005-present)
- Greater Wilkes-Barre Development Corporation, Director (2004-2007)
- St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen- Advisory Board Member (2005-present)
Departments
Practices
- Business & Finance
- Construction Law
- Environmental Law
- Industrial Development
- Labor & Employment Law
- Real Estate
- Oil and Gas Leases