Co-Chair, Real Estate Group | Member
Charleston, WV
office 304.340.3847
mobile 304.389.3124
Ms. Ofsa's primary areas of practice are commercial, mineral, and residential real estate law, zoning, land use and development law, eminent domain law, landlord and tenant law, and title insurance.

Education

  • West Virginia University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1975
  • West Virginia University, J.D., 1979

Experience

  • Advising sellers, purchasers and brokers in negotiating real estate sale and purchase agreements of commercial, industrial, mineral and residential properties, and drafting transactional documents
  • Drafting environmental conservation easement deeds for the promotion and preservation of greenspace, wetlands, wildlife habitation and other purposes in connection with development/construction projects in West Virginia
  • Assisting clients to obtain special permits, variances, rezonings, ordinance amendments and subdivision approvals before municipal and county authorities in West Virginia
  • Defending municipal zoning and land use ordinances before B.Z.A., Circuit Court and West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
  • Assisting clients in the purchase, sale and other disposition of Department of Transportation, Division of Highways surplus properties and former turnpike properties
  • Advising landlords and tenants with respect to negotiating leases of commercial, office, warehouse, new construction and residential properties, drafting lease documents, and representation in connection with lease disputes
  • Representing urban renewal authority and municipalities on eminent domain and various land use, zoning, acquisition and property disposition matters
  • Advising parties in secured lending commercial, construction loan and residential transactions, including drafting loan documents
  • Assisting parties in connection with mechanic's lien claims and other lien priority disputes in various construction and loan projects
  • Agent for First American Title Insurance Company and Old Republic National Title Insurance Company

Distinctions

  • AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as "Lawyer of the Year" in Real Estate Law in Charleston, W.Va., 2023, 2020 & 2017
  • Nominated by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Real Estate Law
  • Listed in West Virginia Super Lawyers
  • Recognized by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Real Estate

Admissions

  • West Virginia State Bar
  • West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia

Memberships

  • Kanawha County Bar Association
  • West Virginia Bar Association
    • Vice Chair, Real Estate, Zoning and Land Use Committee
    • Opinion Subcommittee of Corporations, Banking and Business Law Committee
  • American Bar Association, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section; Law Practice Management Section; Women Rainmakers Interest Group
  • Fellow, State Chairperson, American College of Mortgage Attorneys
  • Fellow, American College of Real Estate Lawyers

Publications & Presentations

  • Frequent speaker at legal, professional and civic seminars
  • Contributing author, “Navigating Rough Waters: Successful Lending in Challenging Financial Times,” Lorman, 2009
  • Contributing author, “Commercial and Real Estate Loan Documents in West Virginia,” Lorman, 2007
  • Contributing author, "Title Examination in West Virginia," Lorman, 2000, 2001
  • Contributing author, "Examining and Evaluating Title to Real Property in West Virginia," PESI, 1997
  • Contributing author, "Advanced Principles of Title Insurance in West Virginia," NBI, 1997
  • Contributing author, "Real Estate 1995," WVCLE, 1995
  • Contributing author, "Advanced Real Estate Law in West Virginia," NBI, 1995, 1990
  • Contributing author, "Residential and Commercial Evictions in West Virginia," NBI, 1994
  • Contributing author, "West Virginia Survey Issues: Resolution and Remediation," NBI, 1995
  • Contributing author, "Current Issues in Commercial Real Estate Leases in West Virginia," NBI, 1993
  • Contributing author, "Boundary Law in West Virginia," NBI, 1993, 1991

Community Involvement

  • Chair, Legal Committee, Charleston Renaissance Corporation Board of Directors
  • The West Virginia Law School Association Board of Governors