Overview

Ara Karamian represents private developers and government entities, helping them secure approvals for major projects and defending those approvals in trial and appellate courts.

As an Associate in Meyers Nave’s Land Use and Environmental Practice Group, he advises clients on California’s complex land use, environmental review, and entitlement laws. His practice spans the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), zoning, entitlements, mixed-use and affordable housing projects, and litigation.

Ara guides clients from project conception through permitting, administrative proceedings, and courtroom defense. He has successfully litigated CEQA challenges, writs of mandate, and land use disputes, including defending a 70-unit residential development in Los Angeles against environmental claims at trial. His representative matters include advising on the entitlement of a 633-unit mixed-use project in Hollywood, assisting in the development of major studio campuses in Los Angeles and Glendale, and advocating to secure favorable zoning outcomes for industrial developers. He also collaborated in conceptualizing and drafting legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom that limits agency-imposed land dedication requirements in transit priority areas.

Earlier in his career, Ara gained extensive courtroom experience representing Fortune 500 companies in high-exposure products liability and general liability matters.

While attending UC Davis School of Law, Ara earned the UC Davis Environmental Law Certificate, served as Managing Editor of the Environs Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, externed with the California Energy Commission on statewide energy infrastructure projects, and clerked at a Sacramento land use firm representing developers in major infill projects.