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Practice Areas
Experience
In practice for more than 30 years, Les is experienced
in all aspects of real estate litigation, land use and
public entity law. His practice emphasizes land use,
zoning, eminent domain and complex real property litigation,
as well as CEQA and public agency law.
Representing a wide variety of public agency and private
sector clients, he handles complex eminent domain and
inverse condemnation matters, including severance, goodwill,
relocation and redevelopment law issues. Les also handles
complex real property and land use litigation. He advises
on land use, zoning, boundary and easement matters,
and Subdivision Map Act and CEQA issues. In his practice,
he frequently appears before zoning boards, planning
commissions and city councils throughout California
on behalf of clients both large and small. In addition,
Les serves as a mediator and arbitrator in complex real
property and public law disputes.
Admissions
- State Bar of California
- United States District Court
Affiliations
- City of Oakland, Planning Commission
- Member, 1997 to 2000
- Chair, 1999 to 2000
- Oakland Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board
- Member, 1991 to 1996
- Chair, 1993 to 1996
- Oakland General Plan Congress
- Member, 1993 to 1997, (appointed citizens' committee
to oversee revision of Oakland's General Plan)
- Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
- Planning and Construction Committee, member,
1994 to 1999
- International Right-of-Way Association, SF Bay Area
Chapter
- Law & Ethics Committee, chair, 1998 to present
- Real Estate Neutrals
- Member, 1997 to present (association of arbitrators
and mediators handling real property disputes)
- State Bar of California
- Real Property Law Section, Executive Committee,
1992 to 1998
- Advisor, 1996 to 1998
- Chair, 1995 to 1996
- Vice chair, 1994 to 1995
- Zoning and Land Use Subsection
- Alameda County Bar Association
Publications
- "Top Ten Things Acquisition Professionals Should
Know About CEQA," author, Bayviews, February
2005
- "Valuation Issues in Acquiring Contaminated
Property: What is the Impact of Remediation Costs?"
author, Compensable Business Loss Review, Desmond,
Marcello & Amster, Vol. 9, No. 1, May 1996
- "Legal Update (Valuation Issues in Acquiring
Contaminated Property)," author, Bayviews,
August 1995
- "In With a Roar, Out With a Meow: A Review
of the Legislative and Other Developments in the California
Environmental Quality Act in 1993," co-authored
with Michael H. Zischke, California Real Property
Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1, Winter 1994
- "Slip Sliding Away: An Analysis of Governmental
Agency Liability in Landslide and Other Damage Actions
Involving Natural Conditions of Public Land,"
author, California Real Property Journal, Vol.
10, No. 4, Summer 2, 1992
- "Inverse Condemnation Claims Based on Failure
to Stabilize Undeveloped Public Land," author,
Public Law News, Winter 1991
- "Liability on the Fault Line," author,
The Recorder, December 1991
Speaking / Teaching
- "New Laws That Impact The Right of Way Profession
in 2008," co-presenter with Pamela Schock Mintzer,
International Right of Way Association, January 16,
2008
- "Kelo v. City of New London, Connecticut: The
End of the American Dream?" Real Estate Roundtable,
December, 2005
- International Right-of-Way Association
- "Legal Update," speaker, January 2005,
January 2006
- "This Case Will Never Settle: Strategies
for Resolving Complex Public Acquisition Disputes
Through Mediation," November 2005
- "Valuation Issues in Eminent Domain,"
lecturer, panel co-organizer
- "Valuation Issues in Acquiring Contaminated
Properties Through Condemnation," lecturer
- State Bar of California
- Real Property Law Section education and annual
meetings, lecturer and panel moderator on various
topics, including impact fees, exactions, dedications,
subdivision Map Act, recent developments in land
use, eminent domain, and telecommunications issues
- County Counsels' Association
- "Public Regulation of the Development Process,"
Land Use Study Section, panel moderator
- California Continuing Education of the Bar
- "Earth Movement and Flood Litigation,"
lecturer and panel moderator
- CLE International, Eminent Domain Institute
- "Valuation for Future Use," lecturer,
December 2006
- "Condemnation by Public Utilities and Telecommunications
Providers," lecturer
- California League of Cities/Northern California
County Counsels' Group/Bay Area City Attorneys Association
- "Earth Movement and Landslide Claims Against
Public Entities," lecturer, annual meeting
Awards and Honors
- Recognized as Northern California "Super Lawyer"
in Environmental law by Law & Politics (as seen
in San Francisco Magazine) in 2004 and 2006
Education
- University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School
of Law; J.D. (1973)
- University of California, Berkeley; B.A., History,
with distinction, Phi Beta Kappa (1969)
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