Cases
Experience: Representative Matters: Hudson Pacific Properties: Provide strategic entitlement advice for major projects in Hollywood. Advise on methods to create defensible CEQA documents
technical reports in a highly litigious area of Los Angeles. Manage consultant teams to create strong administrative records
cutting-edge technical reports. Successfully obtain entitlements for major media
entertainment projects.
Lightstone Group: : Provide due diligence for property acquisition in downtown Los Angeles. Develop creative entitlement strategies to maximize project value. Assess l
use constraints
create pathways for approval of major mixed-use hotel project. Develop stakeholder, community,
political support for project.
Holl
Partner Group: : Secured entitlements for large mixed-use residential project in downtown Los Angeles. Developed creative entitlement strategy that permitted multiple development options for same site. Negotiated with project opposition
stakeholders to avoid administrative appeals
litigation.
Building Industry Association ( BIA ): Advise BIA
its builder members regarding development impact fees under the Mitigation Fee Act. Analyze the legal adequacy of development fee nexus studies, negotiate agreements between building industry members regarding litigation strategies,
represent BIA in administrative hearings.
California Steel Industries, Inc.: Provide ongoing entitlement
permitting advice for steel mill operations, including acquisition
extension of conditional use permits. Provide compliance counseling for air quality issues
emission reduction credits. Lead environmental document defensibility review
provide guidance regarding mitigation monitoring requirements.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ( FDIC ): Draft purchase
sale agreements for Real Estate Owned ( REO ) portfolios. Negotiate legal terms
deal points with buyer's counsel for distressed asset acquisition. Draft escrow provisions, grant deeds, bill of sale, assignment
assumption,
direct escrow
title officers during deal closings.
FirmGreen:, Inc.: Represent FirmGreen Inc., an alternative energy
renewable fuels company, in securing development financing from a large investment bank,
structuring several other transactions associated with the alternative energy market. Counsel executive management regarding alternative energy market entrance strategies
strategic opportunities in California. Advise regarding acquisition of l
fill gas rights
associated l
use issues.
Foothill-Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency ( TCA ): Provided CEQA
NEPA counseling for the Southern Orange County Transportation Improvement Project which addressed key issues including endangered species, wetl
s, water quality, air quality, archaeological
Native American sites, coastal zone issues, growth inducement
cumulative impacts. Drafted state Findings of Fact
federal Record of Decision for final approval of EIR/EIS.
General Electric Capital Corporation: Represent GE in relation to several urban development projects in the Los Angeles area. Provide counsel regarding entitlement
zoning issues including project permit compliance, specific plan exceptions, zone changes, variances, conditional uses
by-right development. Perform environmental document due diligence for property acquisitions
dispositions. Provide advice regarding compliance with signage regulations in signage supplemental use districts
city-wide ordinances.
Highl
Fairview Properties: Advise client with respect to l
plan design for complex master planned community. Assist with EIR design
strategy for large phased-development project to facilitate timely entitlements, certification
permitting.
Northrop Grumman Corporation: Represent Northrop in several of its l
use matters, ranging from its interests in wind energy developments to general plan
specific plan compliance issues for its facilities. Manage CEQA document preparation
review for projects that include issues such as large-megawatt wind turbines, endangered species, public utility easements,
power distribution infrastructure. Negotiate with state
federal agencies, provide strategic l
use advice,
assist in litigation
settlement agreements.
Regents of the University of California: Represent the Regents in connection with development projects located on the San Diego
Irvine campuses. Manage bullet-proofing efforts for environmental documents. Negotiate with opposing parties
provide strategic development advice.
The Irvine Company: Provide counsel regarding developing strategy
approach for defensible environmental documentation for large mixed-use master planned communities. Manage large teams of CEQA practitioners
technical consultants. Review
revise technical reports, including air quality, biology, hydrology
traffic. Develop entitlement strategies
preemptive litigation safeguards for high-profile development projects.
The Town of Mammoth Lakes: Prepare due diligence reports for development projects. Advise client regarding adequacy
applicability of previously certified EIR/EIS for airport expansion plans. Manage environmental documentation
CEQA team efforts for resort development.
Tustin Legacy Community Partners (Centex Homes & Shea Homes): Counsel client regarding CEQA compliance strategy
regulations for the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), Tustin Legacy master planned community, which included key issues such as water supply, surface water quality, transportation
air quality impacts.