David L. Winstead

Of Counsel
Washington, DC

David L. Winstead concentrates on real estate development, infrastructure issues, public-private partnerships, as well as government contracts and legislative/regulatory matters. His career combines both private and public sector experience in real estate and transportation, and his representations include private companies, national real estate enterprises, transportation entities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

David joined Ballard Spahr following his presidential appointment and service as Commissioner of Public Buildings at the U.S. General Services Administration. As Commissioner, David was responsible for the asset management, construction, and operations of a portfolio of 1,500 federal buildings, as well as 190 million square feet of leased space to accommodate more than one million federal workers.

Earlier in his career, David was a partner in a Washington, D.C., zoning firm, and served as Executive Director of the Washington/Baltimore Regional Association, a private sector economic development alliance of real estate and financial interests in these two metropolitan areas. He also served a term as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation responsible for the five transportation agencies under Maryland DOT.

Professional Highlights

Professional Activities

Urban Land Institute: Public Development and Infrastructure Council, At-Large Chair; Washington District Council's Regionalism Committee, Co-Chair

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), past President

Maryland Chamber of Commerce, past Director

National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), the D.C./Suburban Maryland Chapter, past President

The Real Estate Roundtable, President's Council

Greater Washington Board of Trade, Transportation Committee Member

Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), National Advisory Council Member

Public Buildings Reform Board

Speaking Engagements

Host, In the KNOW, “Transportation and Pedestrian Safety in Montgomery County,” Montgomery Municipal Cable, May 21, 2021

Moderator, "First Tennessee Park as a Public-Private Partnership," Urban Land Institute's 2019 Spring Meeting, Nashville, TN, April 18, 2019

Moderator, "Montgomery County Economic Development's Federal Markets & Property Summit," Silver Spring, Md., October 22, 2012

Board Memberships & Community Service

National Federal Development Association, board member

National Homelessness Law Center, board member

Public Buildings Reform Board

Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers, past Chair

Johns Hopkins University Real Estate Advisory Board

Publications

"Legal-Ease: GSA's Simplified Leasing Forms Made Simple," BOMA Magazine, January/February 2019

Co-author, "Seven Tax Aspects of Tenant Improvements," Legal-Ease column for BOMA Magazine, May/June 2014

Credentials 

Education

The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (J.D.)

Columbia University (M.B.A.)

Johns Hopkins University (M.S., real estate)

Denison University (B.A.)

Admissions

District of Columbia

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

U.S. Supreme Court