Akerman LLP‘s national land use and development practice is reputed for its depth of experience advising on local zoning and land use regulations, process and policy. The team handles all aspects of real estate development and urban redevelopments: Miami-based practice co-head Spencer Crowley focuses on considerable land use and environmental permitting matters, including marina permitting, while Miami lawyer Neisen Kasdin assists clients with in obtaining approvals for rezoning in addition to advising on the development of large-scale, multi-use projects. In New York, co-head Joshua Rinesmith is a go-to advisor for property owners, developers, architects and engineers seeking advice on zoning compliance and property development potential. In the same office, Jaclyn Scarinci advises on the development of mixed-use and affordable housing projects. Chicago’s Meg George acts for municipalities, developers, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies, and Los Angeles-based real estate expert and development expert Lisa Kolieb regularly counsels on the regulatory aspects of real estate transactions.

Recognized for being ‘extremely knowledgeable on all related land use and entitlement matters in multiple jurisdictions with long-standing relationships across the industry’, DLA Piper LLP (US)‘s land use, development and government relations lawyers are experienced in handling large development projects as well as governmental regulatory matters and regularly represent clients before trial and appellate courts. The firm operates nationwide with teams co-led by Richard Klawiter in Chicago, who represents developers and investors in securing entitlements and financial incentives for urban and suburban projects. Klawiter is well supported by co-head Katherine Jahnke Dale, who is also based in Chicago and advises on the financing and regulatory aspects of redevelopments, as well as by and co-head Antonio Calabrese in Reston, who advises on land use, zoning and complex development projects. Los Angeles-based contacts include Jerold Neuman, who advises individuals and companies on obtaining local government licenses, permits, rights, or contracts, and Kyndra Joy Casper, an expert on compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. Other key members of the team are Reston’s ‘outstanding’ Brian Winterhalter, Bryan Connolly and ‘top real estate attorney’ John Rattigan in Boston, as well as Mariah DiGrino in Chicago.

Well-known for advising on large development projects, including major stadia and arenas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s California-based land use and zoning department advises cities and government entities, developers, lenders and venture partners, owners and project proponents on all aspects of developments deals and also assists its clients with achieving entitlements to transform various properties. The practice is co-led by Mary Murphy in San Francisco and Ben Saltsman in Los Angeles. Murphy has vast experience advising on public and private partnerships and historic rehabilitation projects, while Saltsman is successful in obtaining land use entitlements for major real estate development projects and also advises institutional investors and lenders on development-related matters. Based in Los Angeles, Amy Forbes focuses on land use planning issues, especially at the administrative level. Other key members of the team in San Francisco include Allison Kidd, who primarily advises on real estate transactions, and Neil Sekhri, who is well-equipped to act on a variety of land use issues, including development agreements and entitlements.

Holland & Knight LLP‘s team encompasses a consortium of nationwide offices capable of handling complex land use, planning, and zoning matters. In Miami, Joseph Goldstein and departmental co-head Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz advise a range of clients on land use aspects of their developments, often leveraging the firm's environmental capabilities to advise on the regulatory and transactional aspects of projects and joint ventures. In New York, co-head of the department Joe Guay and Kenneth Lowenstein offer advice on affordable housing, zoning and re-zoning, and development rights, with a strong focus on development and finance matters that concern the hospitality sector. In Washington DC, the team assists clients with urban land use and development matters, including historic preservation and municipal law issues in complex, mixed-use developments and affordable housing projects, with Christine Shiker serving as a key contact for foreign governments and embassy clients for advice on on land use matters.

Latham & Watkins‘s environment, land and resources practice group is nationally renowned for advising on major land use and zoning projects across various industries, such as healthcare, real estate, transportation, offshore wind, and media. The department is headed from Washington DC by global co-chairs Janice Schneider and James Barrett. Key names in Los Angeles are the experienced Lucinda Starrett, who focuses on entitlement matters, and George Mihlsten who is renowned for his land use and environmental solutions work. Also based in Los Angeles, James Arnone works on land use entitlements matters well as on litigation defense, and Maria Hoye routinely environmental approvals in addition to advising on planning and zoning regulations. Other key names to note are San Diego’s Jennifer Roy, Orange County’s Nikki Buffa, and Los Angeles’ Duncan Joseph Moore. Further Los Angeles contacts include Joshua Marnitz and Aron Potash, who extend the team’s expertise with their expertise in environmental and energy law.

Ballard Spahr LLP’s zoning and land use team covers a wide range of permits and approvals for real estate development projects, advising on matters ranging from subdivisions and zoning variances to environmental permitting, takings, and historical preservation issues. The department also handles complex appellate advocacy and defense of land use approvals. Amy McClain co-heads the team from Baltimore and focuses on affordable housing transactions, while co-head Matthew McClure is based in Philadelphia and emphasizes land use, zoning, and historic preservation matters. In Salt Lake City, Steven Mehr focuses on acquisitions, dispositions, construction, zoning and entitlements of commercial, retail, industrial and resort properties. In Baltimore, Jon Laria recently advised on redevelopments and new mixed-use developments. Based in Philadelphia, Joanne Phillips and Devon Beverly are further names to note.

The Florida-based boutique firm Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes is reputed for its depth of expertise in land use, zoning, and environmental matters. The department is headed by Jeffrey Bercow, Ben Fernandez, Michael Larkin and Melissa Tapanes Llahues, all of whom are based in Miami. Bercow ‘provides thoughtful and sensible counsel to clients based on years of experience and expedites the approval process by recommending creative yet attainable solutions’, while Fernandez is adept at providing advice on the full range of land use and zoning matters, ranging from permitting and due diligence reviews to environmental and historic preservation matters. Larkin handles a wide variety of zoning and appellate litigation matters in Miami Beach, and Tapanes Llahues represents landowners, industrial clients and developers and specializes in legislative quasi-judicial affairs. In December 2023, Paul Savage joined the firm from Rasco Klock Perez & Nieto.

Cooley LLP fields a strong real estate practice capable of covering all aspects of land use and zoning law, including entitlement and permitting processes as well as development and operation. The real estate department is headed by lease transactions and commercial property expert John Lavoie in the Reston office, while Colleen Gillis and Mark Looney lead the dedicated land use and zoning practice. Gillis uses her vast experience as a transactional real estate lawyer to assist clients with all areas of entitlement in relation to mixed-use, residential or data center projects and also advises on the acquisition, financing and divestment aspects of real estate developments. Looney represents property owners and developers in all aspects of the land planning, zoning and (re-)development process, advising on development agreements and acquisitions in addition to handling land use litigation.

The land use practice at Greenberg Traurig LLP assists landowners, developers, joint venture partners and entrepreneurs with due diligence matters, development rights issues, zoning and other land use entitlements, environmental permits, and all aspects of real estate as well as regulatory issues. Iris Escarra, an expert in city, country and government law based in Miami, and New York’s Jay Segal, a key contact for all aspects of land use issues, jointly lead the department. Miami lawyers Brian Dombrowski and Carlos Diaz are also key names to note. Sharing his time between Los Angeles and Denver, ‘outstanding’ lawyer Brady McShane frequently advises on political, regulatory and environmental issues in connection with the development process. Miami-based environmental specialist John Chibbaro joined from Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP in April 2023.

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP has a strong land use practice focusing on complex developments in California, which is bolstered by the team's ability to draw on firmwide strengths in real estate and government matters. Leading the group from Los Angeles, Victor De La Cruz is noteworthy for his ability to handle complex land use matters for a wide variety of clients, such as colleges and universities, waste haulers, signage companies and real estate developers. Susan Hori is based in Orange County and handles the full range of land use and development matters, with a particular emphasis on CEQA and entitlement issues. Sigrid Waggener is based in San Francisco and advises clients on entitlement, permitting and regulatory issues. Los Angeles-based environmental and real estate litigation expert Fernando Villa joined from Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP in February 2023.

Combining expertise in planning, permitting, regulatory and environmental issues, financing, real estate and dispute resolution, the team at Paul Hastings LLP is capable of leveraging a wide spectrum of expertise to comprehensively advise clients on land use, entitlement and regulatory issues in connection with their development projects and real estate transactions. The land use practice is fully integrated into the firm’s real estate practice and is therefore able to represent clients at any stage of a project, with a particular emphasis on large-scale developments in California. A key name to note is Jeffrey Haber, who is based in Century City and advises on transactional real estate and administrative law matters for development projects including affordable housing developments and hospitals. Gordon Hart left the team in April 2023.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP‘s real estate, energy, land use and environmental department provides clients with advice on a wide spectrum of zoning and land use matters, including on subdivision, environmental reviews and the California Environmental Quality Act, community engagement matters, historic preservation and development agreements, wetlands, endangered species, zoning and water quality regulations, and real estate litigation. Keith Garner co-leads the group from the firm’s San Francisco office, while Michael Leake co-leads the department from the firm’s office in San Diego. With vast experience in land use planning, entitlement approvals, and land use litigation defense, Jeffrey Forrest ‘has proven invaluable in helping to navigate municipal permitting processes, and very challenging CEQA pathways’. In Los Angeles, Jack Rubens handles land use litigation and real estate transactions, while New York’s Jodi Stein frequently represents real estate developers in obtaining land use approvals, well-supported by associate Eva Schneider. In March 2023, Cleveland lawyer Andrew Bengston, Dallas attorneys Michelle Brown and Shane Trawick, and Columbus-based partner Ian Lange joined the team from Jones Day, while Alfred Fraijo and Kira Conlon departed the practice in May 2023. Rocky Delgadillo joined the team from DLA Piper LLP (US) in April 2024.

Herrick, Feinstein LLP‘s New York-based land use and zoning group represents clients in matters spanning the entire development process, including zoning changes, special permits, entitlement and historic and landmark preservation, as well as gaining government approvals. Chair of the zoning and land use department Mitchell Korbey has vast experience in land use and private planning matters and is regularly involved in major rezoning and waterfront development projects throughout New York. Belinda Schwartz and Jonathan Adelsberg co-chair the real estate department and handle a varied caseload of complex commercial property transactions. Robert Huberman stands out for his ability to advise clients on preparing land use applications and approvals for rezonings, special permits and large-scale developments.

Husch Blackwell LLP acts on behalf of clients in matters related to zoning, special use, code compliance, sale and lease of municipal lands, and creative development projects involving public-private cooperation. As an extension of the land use team, the public law group is also capable of advising clients on advocacy, government-related projects, and disputes. The team is jointly led by Nikelle Meade in Austin and David Richardson in St. Louis. In Houston, public law litigator Katharine David has extensive experience representing government entities, public officials, and private companies in real estate matters, including land use. Sandy Hellums-Gomez‘s practice in Houston is centered around advice related to civil rights, ethics, and land use, while Rodney Carter in Milwaukee has experience in all aspects of data center planning matters.

Boasting a strong record of securing entitlements for high-profile projects, Loeb & Loeb LLP‘s land use practice is capable of guiding clients through the development process, from conception and feasibility through community and political outreach to processing and land use litigation. New York’s Raymond Sanseverino is the firm’s chair of the wider real estate department. With extensive experience working with governmental entities and private developers, Paul Rohrer is the co-deputy chair in Los Angeles, while Steven Kornblau is the co-deputy chair in New York and is an expert on real estate financing matters. New York’s Nichole Cortese heads the commercial real estate leasing group. Other key members of the Los Angeles-based team are Allan Abshez and Elizabeth Camacho, who focus on land use and development law, environmental review, and litigation, and Sophia Mei-Ling Chang, who is experienced in advising on public land, public infrastructure, and affordable housing developments. New York partner Brian Helweil arrived from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in May 2023, and Chrystal Dyer LaRoche, also based in New York, joined from Ropes & Gray LLP in April 2023.

Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP's team has extensive experience in all aspects of permitting, land use and environmental matters. The firm represents clients in issues related to complex mixed-use development projects and also advises public authorities and municipalities in land use and regulatory matters in connection with infrastructure projects. Marianne Ajemian is the chair of the wider real estate department, while the development, land use and permitting practice is jointly led by James Ward and Matthew Snell. Michael Scott covers zoning and land use issues, regulatory permits, and environmental remediation and compliance matters. Valerie Moore provides support in a variety of real estate and land use matters, including litigation, while Sarah Turano Flores emphasizes land use permitting and contentious issues..