Skye Langs - Coblentz Law

Details

P 415.772.5785

F 415.989.1663

slangs@coblentzlaw.com

Education

J.D., magna cum laude,

University of California College of Law, San Francisco (2012)
B.A., with honors,

Grinnell College (2000)

Practices

Litigation

Employment

Real Estate

Industries

Cultural & Educational Institutions

Skye Langs’ practice focuses on complex civil litigation in state and federal court, with significant experience in real estate, landlord-tenant, land use, and CEQA matters. She has successfully defended the approvals for numerous projects, including major mixed-use developments and sports and entertainment venues, against challenges arising under the California Environmental Quality Act and other state and local land use laws. She also represents property owners, developers, and commercial tenants in disputes concerning lease terms, evictions, purchase and sale agreements, easements, and receiverships.

In addition to her land use and real estate practice, Skye assists a diverse range of clients on a wide variety of matters. With advanced strategic thinking and careful attention to their needs, she guides her clients through the resolution of a broad range of legal issues, including those involving breach of contract, personal injury, employment laws, construction defects, government regulations, securities fraud, and data theft.

Skye also has an active pro bono practice. She has represented low-income San Francisco residents fighting eviction, and helped individuals obtain increased veteran’s benefits, clean up their criminal records, recover legal judgments, obtain conservatorships, and challenge the constitutionality of provisions of the California Penal Code.

Prior to law school, Skye was a tenured high school English teacher and Cross Country coach in Fremont, California.

Skye is a member of the State Bar of California, the Bar Association of San Francisco, and the Urban Land Institute, and she is a former member of the Edward J. McFetridge American Inn of Court (2018-2022). She is admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Northern District of California.

Skye graduated magna cum laude from the University of California College of Law, San Francisco (Hastings). During law school, she externed for the Honorable Jeffrey White in the Northern District of California and interned at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in San Francisco. She was also a member of Hastings’ award-winning moot court team.

Skye earned her B.A. in Philosophy, with honors, from Grinnell College in Iowa. She currently serves as a Class Fund Director and is a member of the reunion planning committee.

Successfully defended approval of major mixed-use business and residential project in downtown San Francisco, resulting in published opinion. (See South of Market Community Action Network v. City and County of San Francisco (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 321.)

Obtained judgment in developer’s favor in CEQA lawsuit challenging permits for construction of 124-unit residential building in San Jose. (See Villas at Santana Park Homeowners Association v. City of San Jose (Cal. Ct. App., Apr. 30, 2020, No. H045644) 2020 WL 2079348.)

Represented developer of mixed-use San Francisco development in streamlined AB 900 CEQA litigation; secured favorable settlement during appeal.

Successfully represented developer of major sports entertainment complex in lawsuits arising under CEQA and the Surplus Land Act.

Secured complete victory for partnership in private arbitration of buy-out price for minority partner.

Counseled high-profile executive in whistleblower investigation, resulting in a finding that client violated no laws or internal policies.

Survived highly contested motions to dismiss in plaintiff-side securities fraud and breach of contract cases.

Persuaded plaintiff in personal injury suit against investment fund to dismiss all claims prior to the filing of any responsive pleadings.

Skye is recognized as a Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers in the Land Use & Zoning category.

Speaker, “Survey the Significant 2023 Real Estate Cases,” Bar Association of San Francisco (January 2024)

Speaker, “New Developments in Partition Law,” Bar Association of San Francisco (May 2023); Sonoma County Bar Association (August 2023); San Luis Obispo County Bar Association (November 2023)

Speaker, “Survey of Significant 2021 Real Estate Cases,” Bar Association of San Francisco (January 2022)

Author, “What 2020 Land Use Cases Taught (Or Reminded) Us About Litigation Basics” (March 2021)

Speaker, “Survey of Significant 2020 Real Estate Cases,” Bar Association of San Francisco (January 2021)

Co-Author, “Landmark Second Circuit Ruling Clarifies the Standards for Mobile Contracts” (August 2017)

Co-Author, “Statutory Class Actions Hang In The Balance At High Court,” Law360 (November 2015)