Robin Tatum

Practice Areas

https://www.smithlaw.com/professionals/robin-tatum

Robin Tatum is a member of Smith Anderson’s Land Use & Zoning and Real Estate Litigation practice groups, and is recognized as one of North Carolina’s most accomplished land use litigators. With more than three decades of experience representing local governments, private businesses and developers, Robin frequently serves as lead counsel in significant cases in state and federal courts, both at trial and on appeal, and provides strategic counsel on complex land use, zoning and land development challenges.

A former city attorney for nearly a decade for both Raleigh and Asheville, North Carolina, and previously practicing at a national law firm, Robin brings a unique perspective shaped by her experience in both private practice and public service. During her tenure in municipal government, she was appointed as a municipal representative on a four-member drafting committee that rewrote the North Carolina General Statutes governing land use and zoning.

Her practice encompasses land development approvals, entitlements, zoning amendments and variances, historic preservation, impact fees, condemnation and eminent domain, environmental litigation, development agreements and public-private partnerships. Robin is a frequent speaker on municipal and land use law and is highly regarded for her commitment to mentoring and cultivating the next generation of attorneys.

Outside the office, Robin enjoys spending time at her home on Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks, where she frequently travels with friends, family and her three dogs. She also enjoys staying active and can often be found running or swimming several days a week.

Areas of Focus

- land development approvals

- land use litigation

- zoning amendments and variances

- land use entitlements

- subdivisions and site plans

- historic preservation issues

- impact fees

- condemnation and eminent domain matters

-environmental litigation

-development agreements

-public-private partnerships

Career

From 2014 to 2020, Robin served as a municipal representative on a four-member drafting committee that rewrote all of the North Carolina General Statutes related to land use and zoning (now enacted as N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D).

Professional Memberships

North Carolina Board of Law Examiners, Emeritus Member, (2007 to present), Member (1998-2007) | North Carolina Bar Association Section Council for Land Use and Zoning (2005 to present), Chair (2013-14) | North Carolina Bar Association Section Council for Government and Public Sector (2014-18)

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Bar admission: North Carolina

Education