Top Environmental And Natural Resources Lawyers Near Me in Pasadena Area

Richard specializes in land-use, zoning, real estate, commercial, environmental, and appellate law, including complex business litigation and class actions. He represents property owners, developers, neighborhood associations, midsize and large U.S. companies throughout Southern California on numerous hotel, medical office, and multi-family residential projects. He serves as lead trial and appellate counsel in traditional/administrative writ of mandamus proceedings, arbitrations, and private attorney general actions. As part of his land use practice, Richard manages all of the CEQA, planning, zoning, and other entitlements required by state, county, and city governments. In Pasadena, Richard’s projects include the restoration of the Constance Hotel and the YWCA Julia Morgan Building, the Colorado at Hill Hotel, the Marriott Residence Inn, the Paseo Colorado, the Crown City Medical Building, and the former Pasadena Athletic Club site.. As an experienced trial attorney, Richard successfully prosecuted a CEQA and land use trial against the City of Brea in Orange County, and successfully defended through trial a $45 million class action lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He previously was successful in defending a $75 million licensing arbitration, a $30 million unfair competition class action, a $40 million securities fraud and RICO class action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, and a $20 million insurance coverage action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, as well as numerous contract, real estate, and limited partnership actions. Richard has a number of appellate decisions in California to his credit, including Harper v. 24 Hour Fitness, 167 Cal. App. 4th 966 (2008), Mount Olympus Property Owners Association v. Shpirt, 59 Cal. App. 4th 885 (1997), Re-Open Rambla, Inc. v. County of Los Angeles, 39 Cal. App. 4th 1499 (1995), and Cole v. Sea Ray Boats, Inc., 32 Cal. Rptr. 2d 431 (1994) (de-published).. Education. Richard is a 1986 graduate of Loyola Law School, where he externed for Justice Otto Kaus of the California Supreme Court, and was a member of the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society, Scott Moot Court Honors Board, and the 1985 Best Oralist in Moot Court Competition.. Richard also has a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, where he was admitted to Pi Alpha Alpha, National Honorary Society for Public Affairs & Administration, received the SCAPA Praetor Scholarship Award, and worked for the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C.. Richard earned his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1979, and studied at Worcester College, Oxford University, England.

Mitchell M. Tsai specializes in environmental, land use, and real estate litigation, while also handling immigration and bankruptcy matters. He has represented individuals, companies, and organizations in environmental and business disputes in both federal and state court as well as many administrative proceedings before local boards, commissions and councils.. Prior to working for this Office, Tsai served as an Associate with The Law Office of Gideon Kracov where he handled environmental cases involving environmental impact review ( National Environmental Policy Act, California Environmental Quality Act), pollution control (Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act), hazardous waste (Resources Conservation and Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act commonly known as Superfund), consumer safety (Proposition 65), and land use.. Prior to passing the Bar, Mr. Tsai worked as a law clerk at the United States Department of Justice Environmental Enforcement Section, Santa Monica Baykeeper (now known as Los Angeles Waterkeeper), Environment Now, Law Offices of Robert Ukeiley, and Rod Danielson Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee.. Mr. Tsai received his law degree along with a Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources law from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. While in law school, he served as Managing Editor of Environmental Law review, the nation’s oldest law review dedicated solely to environmental issues. He also served as Air Quality Coordinator for the Northwest Environmental Defense Center. He received his undergraduate degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California.. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Tsai worked as a policy advocate and researcher on international peacekeeping, environmental justice, pollution control, and climate change issues. During that time, he worked at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, California League of Conservation Voters, Taiwan Environmental Action Network, and the Fund for Public Interest Research.. In his free time, Mr. Tsai enjoys running, hiking, bicycling, and ice hockey. He is an avid supporter of USC Trojan football, Los Angeles Kings hockey, and the Portland Timbers Football . Tsai is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.

Experienced Environmental And Natural Resources attorney serving clients in Pasadena and surrounding areas.