Sec Form 4 Filing - Swope Jeffrey L. @ Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc. - 2020-05-13

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: November 30, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Swope Jeffrey L. 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc. [ PDM] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 5565 GLENRIDGE CONNECTOR, STE. 450 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 05/13/2020 (Street) ATLANTA, GA30342 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 05/13/2020 F 953 ( 1 ) D $ 13.76 38,495.8128 ( 2 ) D Common Stock 05/13/2020 P 7,185 A $ 13.96 ( 3 ) 49,917.9772 ( 2 ) I By Champion Operating Partnership II, Ltd.

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Restricted Stock Units $ 0 ( 4 ) 05/13/2020 A 6,540 ( 5 ) ( 5 ) Common Stock 6,540 $ 0 6,540 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Swope Jeffrey L. 5565 GLENRIDGE CONNECTOR STE. 450 ATLANTA, GA30342 X Signatures /s/ Laura P. Moon as Attorney-in-Fact for Jeffrey L. Swope 05/14/2020 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )In connection with the vesting of 4,329 shares of deferred stock on May 13, 2020, (representing 100% of a grant made at the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 15, 2019), 953 shares were forfeited by the reporting person and delivered to the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations. ( 2 )The balance includes shares obtained through the dividend reinvestment plan of Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc. ("Piedmont") during the period in which the shares where obtained. ( 3 )The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were purchased in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $13.95 to $13.97, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to Piedmont, any security holder of Piedmont, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price within the ranges set forth in this footnote to this Form 4. ( 4 )Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of PDM common stock. Restricted stock units may be settled in cash or common stock at PDM's election. ( 5 )On May 13, 2020, at the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Piedmont, the reporting person was granted 6,540 restricted stock units, which will vest on the earlier of the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or the anniversary of the grant date in May 2021.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.