Government & Public Policy

Lead litigation counsel to LAX across multiple federally funded matters: close-out negotiations on the Bradley West Core and Gates project procured under a construction-manager-at-risk contract, defense of $23 million in delay and differing-site-conditions claims on the Taxilane S construction, litigation with the designer and contractor over Runway 25L concrete deterioration that resolved by settlement with the design firm, and prevailing wage compliance disputes resolved in chambers on the first day of trial.

Lead litigation counsel to VTA on the nearly $1 billion BART extension from Fremont to North San Jose, which opened to the public in 2020, defending delay claims brought by the design-build contractor and subcontractors and pressing counterclaims over systems deficiencies and the resulting construction delays.

The jury found the City had valid grounds to withhold payment on the Conference Center renovation, entitling it to an estimated $4.5 million in costs. The City’s Appeals Hearing Board separately imposed more than $300,000 in penalties for subcontractor listing violations.

A $2.25 million jury verdict and total recovery by settlement above $2.5 million over negligent design of a replacement tertiary filtration treatment system.

Defense and cross-claims over construction of a bridge across the Embarcadero Channel.

Lead construction counsel since 2021 on the $7 billion Portal, also known as the Downtown Rail Extension, which will connect 11 transit systems and California High-Speed Rail to the Salesforce Transit Center through a two-mile tunnel. The work covers the decade-long procurement, contract, and risk strategy built to deliver the project by 2035, lead transactional counsel on the 40-CT progressive design-build agreement valued above $2 billion, the program’s organizational conflict of interest policy and the more than a dozen written opinions issued under it, and compliance with federal funding requirements under 2 CFR Part 200 and Circular 4220.1G.

Counsel on a new civic center and police facility complex, the first project to use design-build delivery under California’s then-new Local Agency Design-Build statutes. The work included the RFP that produced three stipended proposal teams, a complete set of Division 00 and 01 specifications, and design-builder selection and contract negotiation. The project finished on time and within budget with no significant claims.

Construction counsel on the County’s planned Children and Youth Wellness Center, including a procurement document compliant with Public Contract Code section 22185 and continuing advice through the early design phase.

Counsel to California’s largest transit agency across its highest-priority and highest-value eminent domain matters, saving millions through favorable settlements and jury awards, and through sensitive workplace investigations whose evaluations and reports are built to withstand scrutiny internally, publicly, and in court.

Overturned a $10 million emotional-distress verdict against the District on appeal, on grounds of judicial misconduct and the erroneous admission of prejudicial information. Representing the District through re-trial.

Lead counsel to MTS, including summary judgment in Figueroa v. MTS, a front-page harassment and retaliation suit against the agency and the former Chair of its Board, and continuing defense of a related retaliation claim by the agency’s former Chief Information Officer.

Summary judgment for the City against a former City Manager, disposing of every claim with nearly $400,000 in reimbursements, now defended on appeal.

Independent investigations for the University spanning antisemitism complaints, harassment of Jewish students, faculty conduct and arrests during encampment protests, and protest activity at a campus lecture, alongside workplace investigations and employment counsel across UCLA Health, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz.

Investigations running in both directions between a Board Director and the Chief Executive Officer, General Counsel, and District employees, covering misconduct, bullying, discriminatory harassment, abusive conduct, and improper direction of staff. More than 60 claims and counter-charges, every one politically contested and covered in the press.

Internal affairs investigation into the officer-involved shooting death of a BART passenger.

Counsel to the City across critical and sensitive municipal matters, currently including a high-level multi-party investigation.

Seven investigations for one of the nation’s largest publicly operated health plans, involving Code of Conduct and other violations by executives and employees.

Allegations brought by senior police supervisors against the police chief. More than 60 findings in 60 days.

Allegations that the former mayor used an intercom system to videotape and eavesdrop on colleagues.

Land use and environmental counsel across LAWA’s $14 billion Master Plan for Los Angeles International Airport and Van Nuys Airport, covering CEQA and NEPA review, PFAS contamination, air quality, and aircraft noise through sweeping modernization and critical infrastructure work.

Counsel since 2006 to the nation’s largest container port, guiding its Master Plan, shipping and cargo projects, and the state’s first crude oil terminal in over a decade. The work includes the $600 million Pacific L.A. Marine Terminal, the China Shipping supplemental EIS/EIR that resolved a mitigation dispute worth an estimated $25 million, and the TraPac terminal, whose greenhouse gas protocols were settled by a memorandum of understanding with the Attorney General.

Land use and environmental counsel since 2011 on LADWP’s highest-priority projects, including the multibillion-dollar dust control program at Owens Lake, with coordination across tribal groups, the Bureau of Land Management, and federal wildlife agencies, and compliance under CEQA, NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and the Coastal Act.

Lead outside counsel on a 4,500-acre integrated rail facility moving containers from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Barstow, covering NEPA, Bureau of Land Management, Army Corps, Endangered Species Act, and Clean Water Act review, alongside long-range permitting strategy and defense of the project in state and federal court.

Land use and environmental counsel since 2000 on the multibillion-dollar BART extension from Fremont through San Jose to Santa Clara, the largest public project in Santa Clara County history, spanning CEQA and NEPA review through litigation and appeals, Section 404 permitting, and coordination with federal, state, and local agencies.

Environmental review and defense across the UC system: the People’s Park student housing project, where the California Supreme Court held in 2024 that CEQA does not reach social noise from residential projects; the Berkeley enrollment litigation that produced published decisions and legislation; UC Riverside’s 2021 Long Range Development Plan, supporting nearly 14,000 more students and faculty by 2035; UC San Diego’s Hillcrest Medical Center; UCLA’s $162 million Luskin Conference Center, defended through two trials and six appeals; and the $1.2 billion Merced 2020 project.

Counsel on the Specific Plan and its EIR, a 51,786-acre framework beside the Salton Sea for geothermal energy, lithium extraction, battery production, and Salton Sea restoration, and a pillar of the Air Resources Board’s 2022 Scoping Plan.

Advice on build-out of the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan and negotiation of the FivePoint Valencia development agreement: eight villages across 15,000 acres with an estimated 21,500 residential units, reaching infrastructure phasing, greenhouse gas reduction, and affordable housing requirements.

Lead land use and environmental counsel on the 35,000-seat Howard Terminal waterfront ballpark and mixed-use district, including AB 734 compliance. The Court of Appeal upheld the EIR in full less than a year after the challenge was filed. East Oakland Stadium Alliance v. City of Oakland (2023) 89 Cal.App.5th 1226.

Advised on and defended a 120-acre mixed-use village on the former Fort Ord with 1,485 housing units and 250 hotel rooms, in the published decision Committee for Sound Water & Land Development v. City of Seaside (2022) 79 Cal.App.5th 389.

CEQA litigation over a Hollywood redevelopment of 950 residential units, a 308-room hotel, and 190,000 square feet of commercial space, certified by the Governor as an Environmental Leadership Development Project.

Environmental review for the $2.2 billion Consolidated Correctional Treatment Facility replacing the Men’s Central Jail and the $137 million Mira Loma Women’s Detention Facility.

CEQA advice and draft EIR review for the retrofit restoring the District’s largest reservoir to its 89,000 acre-foot design capacity, including steelhead conservation measures.

Real estate and land use counsel on the $580 million Mead Valley Wellness Village, including the ground lease, facilities lease, and P3 development agreement, and lead on environmental review for the 30-year Medical Center expansion.

The Court of Appeal affirmed in December 2025 that the City has correctly implemented its Growth Management Program for 40 years, upholding the trial court win after more than a decade of challenges.

Advisory, litigation, and appellate counsel on the transit-oriented development stop and zone map required under SB 79, under a five-year engagement.

Nuisance abatement action over an underground smoldering event that grew past 90 acres and drew more than 25,000 odor complaints, the most in the air district’s 50-year history, including a preliminary injunction motion seeking $20 million to relocate affected residents.

Defended the County over Palisades Fire debris disposal at the Calabasas Landfill, defeating a temporary restraining order, prevailing on demurrer, and winning at trial.

Representation in the Department of Toxic Substances Control’s oversight of cleanup at one of California’s most contaminated sites, where Boeing, NASA, and the Department of Energy are the responsible parties.

The California Supreme Court held unanimously that a judgment ordering the Board to vacate a supervisorial seat was mandatory injunctive relief, and therefore automatically stayed pending appeal. The decision sets the statewide default rule.

Defense of SCAG against Huntington Beach’s federal challenge to its regional housing needs allocation. Dismissed at the district court and affirmed by the Ninth Circuit.

The court held that state housing law preempts a charter city’s local voter-approval requirement, clearing the City to implement its housing element. The Attorney General and the Governor filed a joint amicus brief supporting the City.

Built the public-private funding plan that kept the Kings in Sacramento, then defeated a ballot measure that would have put the City’s $255 million arena subsidy to a public vote.

Counsel to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office on ephemeral messaging under the Public Records Act and the Brown Act, including policy development and defense of those policies in pending CEQA litigation raising spoliation claims.

One of the first cases holding that SB 1421 reaches peace officer personnel records created before its 2019 effective date, sustained at trial and on a writ of supersedeas, with a strategy that also avoided attorneys’ fees in the underlying action.

Invalidated a swap tainted by bribery under Government Code section 1092 after a former elected board member pleaded guilty, relieving the District of substantial financial obligations.

Defense of the Coliseum and its Commission against Brown Act and Public Records Act claims arising from its negotiations with the University of Southern California over a long-term lease of the stadium.

Defeated a sanctions motion and spoliation claims over city officials’ text messages on private devices, with only limited discovery ordered. Published at (2020) 48 Cal.App.5th 963.

Defended a community choice aggregator’s electricity rate setting against claims the rates were an unlawful tax, at writ trial and on appeal. Published at (2023) 96 Cal.App.5th 136.

Defense against Southern California Edison’s cross-complaint across 200 lawsuits, 3,000 plaintiffs, and 70 plaintiffs’ firms. Rulings in 2023 and 2024 excluded more than $1 billion in claimed damages.

Defense of counties, cities, and public officials across California against challenges to shelter-in-place orders, public health orders, and reopening plans, brought by churches, gyms, restaurants, and individuals under the First Amendment, due process and equal protection, and the takings and commerce clauses. Published district court victories in Abshire, Gish, Cross Culture Christian Center, Best Supplement Guide, and Disbar, with Ninth Circuit affirmances in Abshire and Best Supplement Guide.

Support to local counsel across hundreds of cases and thousands of plaintiffs arising from fires that killed at least 100 people, covering case and document management systems, motion practice, and litigation strategy.

Won dismissal of Southern California Edison’s indemnity and contribution claims, which sought to pass through exposure estimated above $3 billion to public entities.

Counsel through a joint FBI, IRS, and District Attorney investigation of the Mayor and every member of the City Council. The e-discovery team culled more than 500,000 pages, assessed each under the Public Records Act, and posted selected material so residents could follow the investigation.

Representation in United States and California Department of Justice investigations into text messages in which dozens of officers used racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs and acknowledged civil rights violations.

First Amendment, regulatory, litigation, and crisis advice through a permit application that drew national debate and international coverage, including an ordinance restricting weaponized protest objects and time, place, and manner limits. The engagement produced a daily playbook other cities could follow.

Counsel on the First Amendment questions in regulating access and public protest in and around airport facilities, including the policy closing the Central Terminal Area at LAX to public protest.

Advising the City on the First Amendment and California constitutional questions at play in the $4 billion OCV!BE public-private development.

Defended the Authority after PETA, backed by the ACLU, sued over its refusal to post anti-SeaWorld advertising, and drafted advertising policies and guidelines tested against First Amendment standards.

Amicus brief for the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the American Planning Association California Chapter. The Second Appellate District reversed the lower court, preserving the ability of California cities and counties to use the onsite/offsite and commercial/noncommercial distinctions in their sign codes. Published at (2016) 245 Cal.App.4th 610.

Six years as City Attorney for Modesto, a city of 215,000, running a hybrid office of in-house staff and outside counsel against a legal-services budget above $2 million, including the Stanislaus Foods development agreement that kept a major employer growing downtown.

City Attorney since 2006. Recent work covers the SB 707 open-meeting overhaul, including the technology-disruption policy the law now requires; an amendment to the City’s tourism business improvement district supporting a major sports and entertainment arena; and enforcement of Transient Occupancy Tax remittance by hotel operators.

City Attorney and land use special counsel to this small Monterey County city, covering governance, public-private partnership transactions, and litigation with the State of California. The work includes development agreements for mixed-use and housing projects, a significant sand dune preserve, redevelopment of blighted sites including a half-dozen parcels remaking the historic downtown, and the Council’s Brown Act and AB 2449 obligations.

Outside counsel to this charter city on all land use and environmental matters, including the Coastal Land Use Program, the Harbor/Pier Specific Plan, initiative measures, and charter amendments, with CEQA review and litigation defense of EIRs, mitigated negative declarations, and exemptions. Recent work includes the South Bay Galleria, a 1.9 million-square-foot development with 650 homes and 150 hotel rooms.

Special counsel on long-range planning and project processing: housing element update, rent stabilization, tax questions, land use transactions, specific plans, and mixed-use and warehouse development, with fiscal advice and litigation support.

City Attorney to both cities, including advice on their relationships with Marin Clean Energy.