The multidisciplinary land use and zoning practice at Akerman LLP features a team of experts that are well-versed in handling the full life-cycle of projects, advising a client roster consisting of real estate developers, investors, landowners and lenders on the entire suite of land use and development matters. Acquisitions, project and public finance, development incentives, land use entitlements and zoning issues are among the group’s core competencies in the space, alongside a track record for urban development and redevelopment projects throughout the country. Three partners jointly head the practice: Florida’s Eric Rapkin , Miami’s Spencer Crowley  and New York-based practitioner Joshua Rinesmith, while managing partner of the Florida office, Neisen Kasdin , is extensively experienced in civic work, alongside urban revitalization and complex, large scale multi-use developments. Chicago’s Meg George focuses her practice on real estate and municipal law matters, including acquisitions, land use and zoning, licensing, permitting and subdivision. In Florida, James McNeil is well-versed on the transactional aspects of complex real estate deals, in conjunction with due diligence and procurement of land use approvals and entitlements.

 

Praised for its ‘unparalleled in-market experience, expertise and knowledge of key decision makers’, DLA Piper LLP (US) has extensive know-how appearing before before local governments, state and federal agencies and both administrative and judicial tribunals. With real estate and land use a core pillar of the firm’s work, the team acts as legal counsel on large-scale residential, commercial, office, retail, sports and entertainment, and industrial projects across the country. Operating out of the Chicago office, practice leader Richard Klawiter  has a strong track record for handling some of the most significant local land use matters. Katherine Jahnke Dale is another key name in Chicago, notable for obtaining zoning and public financing approvals for large-scale projects in the region. Los Angeles-based Kyndra Joy Casper  remains a pre-eminent practitioner in the space, with extensive experienced in CEQA compliance. Jerold Neuman , head of the California-based practice, is notable for both his affordable housing work and extensive acumen regarding regulatory and legislative issues. Northern Virginia-based co-head Antonio Calabrese  is consistently singled out by clients for his ‘unparalleled knowledge of the zoning process’, also receiving praise for ‘background, expertise and skill’ in the land use and zoning space.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is renowned for its capabilities when it comes to large-scale and complex developments, handling the full-suite of associated land use and property development issues in the process, and particularly noted for its work on major stadium and arena work, advising on flagship projects for elite-level sports teams. Entitlements, permitting, development agreements, environmental compliance reviews and public/private partnerships represent the team’s key specialisms in the space. Two senior attorneys co-chair the department: Los Angeles-based Amy Forbes, who focuses on work at the administrative level, and San Francisco’s public private partnerships and historic rehabilitation expert, Mary Murphy. The latter is supported in San Francisco by Allison Kidd, whose sophisticated commercial real estate financing practice includes frequent complex land use work. Of counsels Neil Sekhri  and Sara Ghalandari are other key names in San Francisco. Douglas Champion departed the group in September 2022.

Holland & Knight LLP‘s nationwide group handles comprehensive land use, planning and zoning matters across major markets in the US, with particular emphasis on its extensive presence in Florida, handling the full-suite of land use and zoning issues on behalf of top-end real estate clients in the region. New York’s Joe Guay and Miami’s Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz head up the wider real estate team and are are important names to note, while the Miami-based land use and zoning team is headed up by experienced attorney Joseph Goldstein, who focuses his practice on planning, zoning, permitting and development agreements. Also working out of the Miami office, Juan Mayol acts on behalf of builders and developers through the entire life-cycle of development processes. Of the New York team, Kenneth Lowenstein is sought after for his affordable housing work and frequently provides counsel to the Real Estate Board of New York. In Washington DC, Norman Glasgow is adept on building code and historic preservation law matters whilst Christine Shiker is frequently engaged on large, mixed-use and multi-phased projects. On the west coast, San Francisco-based environmental law expert Jennifer Hernandez leads the land use practice, notable for her work under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Chelsea MacLean is also a key contact here, known for her pro-housing advocacy work alongside maintaining an impressive land use and entitlement practice.

 

Ballard Spahr LLP combines the wider real estate department’s multi-disciplinary capabilities to undertake a broad range of mandates in the space, with emphasis on strong performance across zoning and land use, leasing, complex development, finance and construction. Highlights for the group include strong work in historic preservation and environmental issues, on behalf of leading business, civic leaders, community and governmental clients. Baltimore’s Amy McClain is a key point of contact as chair of the firm’s real estate department, while Matthew McClure  heads up the land use and zoning team and emphasizes his practice on development, zoning and historic preservation issues. The office was also bolstered by the elevation of Ashley De Luca to partner in 2022. David Gest  has left the firm.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner handles the full range of matters relating to land use law, with particular emphasis on advisory services regarding development enhancement strategies. The New York-based group is well-versed in specific land use issues of the region, obtaining various forms of both municipal and state approvals related to zoning, construction, building codes and historic preservation, alongside financing-related zoning due diligence. Seasoned practitioner Judith Gallent chairs the practice, with vast experience in all aspects of the process for clients, including zoning analysis, air rights transfers and obtaining discretionary land use approvals, among others. James Colgate leverages his unique perspective as both a qualified lawyer and architect to guide clients through complex land use issues, specifically special permits, zoning variances, and navigating onerous bureaucratic and political processes.

 

Mayer Brown advises on complex and high-profile matters across the West Coast, leveraging the firm’s expertise across its global real estate practice and public policy, regulatory and political law practice, to provide a comprehensive service to its client base that counts major real estate development companies and private equity houses, among others. Edgar Khalatian  is praised as ‘simply the best in the city’ and serves as head the practice group. Philip Recht is a key partner in the same office- as co-leader of the firm’s public policy, regulatory & political law practice, he is frequently engaged on obtaining grants, approvals and permits from governmental agencies. At associate level, Nedda Mahrou represents commercial and residential developers in transactional land use matters and related litigation. Arteen Mnayan is a fellow key contact. All named lawyers are in California, primarily Los Angeles.

Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes is a boutique land use, zoning and environmental law firm operating out of Miami. Complex and legislative quasi-judicial matters, often also politically sensitive, form a core pillar of the group’s work in the space, including the full-life cycle of projects from initial due diligence, through to construction, re-zoning, site planning and permitting matters, among others. Four attorneys jointly chair the department – esteemed practitioner and co-founding partner Jeffrey Bercow is vastly experienced on federal real estate permitting and licensing matters, including zoning and approvals, developments of regional impacts and environmental matters, among many others. He is joined by Ben Fernandez , who focuses his practice on representing landowners, institutional clients and developers on the full-suite land use and zoning matter. Melissa Tapanes Llahues seeks licensing and regulatory approvals from governmental bodies and agencies on behalf of landowners, institutional clients and developers. Michael Larkin  rounds out the management team, and is a key name in Miami-Dade county, where he regularly appears before governmental departments and commissions. Graham Penn  is also a key figure, offering broad land use and zoning experience and handling appellate litigation matters.

The long-established practice at Greenberg Traurig LLP operates across active real estate markets with presence in Miami, New York and Orlando, and advises landowners, developers, entrepreneurs and joint venture partners at every stage of the land development process. Key aspects of the group’s practice include due diligence for acquisition and finance matters, alongside acquiring development rights and obtaining zoning and other miscellaneous land use entitlements. Miami-based attorney Iris Escarra  jointly leads the department in conjunction with New York’s Jay Segal, with New York-based Deirdre Carson and Nick Hockens  also key contacts within the group.

The team at Herrick, Feinstein LLP is fully integrated into the firm’s long-established wider real estate department, leveraging the firm’s full-service capabilities to advise across a broad range of matters within the space, encompassing contentious and non-contentious issues. Mitchell Korbey chairs the department, with deep experience experience on land use and private planning matters. At associate level, Robert Huberman has extensive experience advising developers, property owners, architects and engineers, among others, across all aspects of land use and zoning in the city.