Stataria “Starr” Nyan joined the firm in 2023 as a Land Use and Zoning Associate in the Prince William office. Before joining the firm, Starr gained valuable legal experience as a Student Attorney with the Intellectual Property and Transactional Law Clinic in Richmond, Virginia, where she drafted assignment agreements, filed trademark and copyright applications, and advised clients on protecting their intellectual property rights.

She also served as a Legal Intern with a transactional law firm in Richmond and as a Summer Legal Intern with Dominion Energy.

Starr earned her J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in Government and History from William & Mary.

Thank you for participating in this month’s Employee Spotlight, Starr! Tell us a little about yourself –

1. What is your current role and how long have you been with the firm?

I am a land use and zoning associate attorney in the Prince William office, and I have been with the firm 2 and a half years.

2. What is your favorite project that you have worked on?

The Village at Broad Run and Greenhaven at Broad Run were 2 rezoning cases that I worked on from start to finish that were recently approved last month. They were part of a group of 7 cases along Vint Hill Road, and I cannot wait to see them fully built out.

3. What might surprise people about your work in land use and zoning?

This might be a hot take, but I don’t think that there are easy cases because everyone has an opinion about everything when it comes to property.

4. What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in land use and zoning?

Be curious, ask questions, and listen carefully to what people have to say.

5. With spring approaching, what are some of your favorite outdoor activities this time of year?

Picnics and cookouts! I am ready for good times with good eats!

6. What’s one skill (work-related or not) you’ve always wanted to learn, and why?

I have always wanted to learn a new language because learning a new language inherently challenges you to think differently. Also, how to start a fire because you never know when that might come in handy.

7. Who or what inspires you professionally and/or personally?

My mom inspires me professionally and personally. She came to this country as a young adult and had to navigate many situations such as the legal process on her own. She finds solutions for every obstacle she encounters. Her resilience, intelligence, and creativity inspire me unlike anyone else.

8. What makes you most proud to be part of Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh?

I love working with a group of people who genuinely enjoy the work that they do and are excited by it.

Walsh Colucci is proud to have Starr as part of the Prince William team, and we look forward to watching her continue to grow as an attorney and make her mark on the Northern Virginia landscape.