Based in California, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP advises developers, landowners, and public agencies on a wide range of projects, including brownfield, retail, and industrial redevelopments, oil and gas properties, biotech facilities, and sensitive habitat projects. The team is particularly experienced in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Coastal Act, the Subdivision Map Act, and historic preservation laws. Practice head Victor De la Cruz regularly handles large-scale land use and real estate matters in Los Angeles County involving complex regulatory frameworks. Susan K. Hori advises on major development and redevelopment projects across Southern California, including CEQA compliance, entitlements, and regulatory approvals from state and federal resource agencies. In San Francisco, litigator Sigrid Waggener focuses on infrastructure and renewable energy projects, while Jennifer Lynch in Orange County provides CEQA and compliance counsel. David Smith departed the firm in June 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Key clients
- Native Oil Producers and Employees of California (NOPEC)
- Mount Saint Mary’s University
- Athens Services
- RMX Resources LLC, Matrix Oil Corporation, Royale Energy Inc.
- New Urban West
- The Belvedere Hotel Partnership dba The Peninsula Beverly Hills
- Self-Realization Fellowship
- AutoZone
- Trumark Homes
- Pacific Coast Energy Company
- Aera Energy LLC
- CapRock Partners
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Sigrid Waggener
Practice head
Victor De la Cruz
Other key lawyers
Susan K. Hori; Sigrid Waggener; Jennifer Lynch