Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Bay Area Council in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado before the U.S. Supreme Court to advocate for a legal process to challenge development impact fees. On April 12, 2024, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment does not distinguish between legislative and administrative land use permit conditions. The decision was covered in the Bay Area Council article, “Bay Area Council Hails Supreme Court Decision on Costly Impact Fees.” “This ruling is hopefully the first step on the path to returning some fairness in how housing and other local impact fees are charged,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. Coblentz partners Miles Imwalle, Sarah Peterson, and Katharine Van Dusen drafted the brief in collaboration with the Bay Area Council.

San Francisco (March 11, 2024) – San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to welcome Jacob Lager to the firm’s partnership.

Jacob joins the firm’s tax practice and has significant experience advising privately held businesses, individuals, and trusts on a variety of domestic and international taxation matters. He structures business transactions and advises domestic and cross-border clients on tax implications related to real estate joint ventures, like-kind exchanges, corporate mergers, asset acquisitions, spin-offs, and debt exchanges. Jacob also advises clients on the creation and operations of tax-preferred entities such as partnerships, S corporations, disregarded limited liability companies, REITS, and tax-exempt charitable organizations. He advises on the tax consequences of capital events and exits, including corporate dissolutions, partnership and corporate redemptions and reorganizations, asset purchases, mergers, buy-outs, transition agreements, and intrafamily succession planning.

Jacob also maintains an active tax controversy practice, advising clients at all stages of federal, state, and local tax audits, appeals, and court actions. He regularly defends clients in income tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and the Franchise Tax Board, employment tax disputes with the Employment Development Department, sales and use tax disputes with the Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and property and transfer tax matters with county assessors throughout California.

In addition to his significant domestic tax experience, Jacob also advises clients on cross-border tax matters, including the U.S. treatment of domestically held foreign interests. He advises clients on tax withholding obligations related to inbound and outbound transfers and how applicable Tax Treaties mitigate such tax results. Jacob also advises non-U.S. clients in making tax-efficient U.S. investments.

“I am thrilled that Jacob has joined Coblentz. His depth and breadth of experience advising on domestic and international taxation matters rounds out our tax and corporate practices,” said Sara Finigan, Managing Partner of Coblentz. “He is a fantastic addition to our team.”

“From the first I have been profoundly impressed by the extraordinary talent here at Coblentz,” said Jacob Lager. “I could not pass up the opportunity to join and help steer the group of exceptionally gifted tax lawyers we have here. I eagerly anticipate the great strides our group will make as we establish ourselves as the premier tax leaders throughout California.”

Jacob joins Coblentz’s Tax practice from Saul Ewing LLP. Jacob’s arrival comes on the heels of Frank Busch, Jennifer Scharre, and Nick Gerlach joining the partnership – who together strengthen Coblentz’s litigation, family wealth, and tax capabilities.

Coblentz real estate and land use partner Dan Gershwin was recognized as one of the top 10 real estate authors by JD Supra’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Dan was selected from a pool of over 3,250 writers covering real estate matters on JD Supra during 2023. The Readers’ Choice Awards recognize top authors and firms who were read by C-suite executives, in-house counsel, media, and other professionals across the JD Supra platform during 2023.

Dan is a contributing author of Coblentz’s Unfamiliar Terrain blog, which provides insights into the complex Bay Area land use landscape and dynamic regulatory environment. Subscribe to Unfamiliar Terrain to receive updates on land use and real estate-related topics.

Coblentz’s international legal alliance, TAGLaw®, has again been recognized by Chambers & Partners as “Elite” for 2024—the highest ranking awarded to legal networks and alliances. This is the eleventh time TAGLaw has received the distinguished “Elite” designation since Chambers & Partners began ranking legal networks and alliances in 2013.

In selecting networks and alliances for their “Elite” status, Chambers & Partners pays particular attention to the quality of the member firms, their global reach, and the value that the alliance provides to its member firms. Member firms have exceptional reputations for quality of service and client satisfaction, and strive to cooperate to provide resources and expertise as if they were right down the hall from one another.

As the Northern California law firm representative to TAGLaw, Coblentz is able to access a network of exemplary regional, national and international legal resources to help us better serve our clients. TAGLaw, with a global footprint in over 90 countries, has leading firms in over 160 jurisdictions providing legal services to companies ranging from the Fortune 5000 and leading SMEs to high net worth individuals. With expertise in dozens of practice areas and countless industry sectors, TAGLaw offers a substantial capability to its members’ clients. This capability is expanded by TAGLaw’s unique relationship with its sister alliance of accounting firms, TIAG, providing members and clients with the multidisciplinary expertise needed in today’s business world.

Coblentz partner Paul Tauber is a member of the Advisory Board and chair of the Global Strategy Committee of the TAG Alliances, assisting in reviewing prospective new members, offering feedback for the planning of international conferences, and providing valuable guidance on future plans and initiatives.

San Francisco (January 3, 2024) – San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to welcome Frank Busch to the firm’s partnership.

Frank is an experienced litigator who has represented parties of every size in complex trial and appellate matters. He has experience with all phases of discovery, motion practice, mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeal, including a successful oral argument before the Ninth Circuit. Frank also has significant experience in probate litigation, having represented both beneficiaries and fiduciaries in many litigated matters, including will contests, trust contests, accounting actions, attorney-in-fact litigation, and other related matters.

“We welcome Frank to Coblentz,” said Sara Finigan, Managing Partner of the firm. “Frank brings impressive complex commercial litigation experience and leadership in the San Francisco legal and business community; he is a wonderful complement to our litigation team.”

“I’m excited to start my next chapter at Coblentz. Coblentz is a top-notch litigation firm and is well known in the Bay Area community. I am looking forward to working alongside the excellent folks who I have the good fortune to partner with now,” said Frank Busch.

Frank is a member of the Bar Association of San Francisco Litigation Section, where he served as Chair and as a member of the Executive Committee through 2023. He is a member of the Federal Bar Association, Northern District of California Chapter and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.

Frank joins from Wagstaffe, von Loewenfeldt, Busch & Radwick LLP, where he was a founding partner.

San Francisco (January 3, 2024) – Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to announce the election of Marcia Valadez Valente and Ashley Weinstein-Carnes to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2024.

“We are delighted to welcome Marcia and Ashley to the partnership,” said Sara Finigan, Managing Partner of the firm. “Marcia and Ashley are immensely talented lawyers and are dedicated to their clients, community, and Coblentz. We are proud to call them our partners.”

The 2024 new partners are:

Marcia Valadez Valente, Litigation.

Marcia Valente is a trial attorney with a broad range of experience representing companies, individuals, and public entities in state and federal courts. Marcia’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation with an emphasis on financial and commercial cases, and employment disputes. She also represents clients in matters brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Marcia is a member of the State Bars of California and New York and the Bar Association of San Francisco, the Federal Bar Association, and the Women’s White Collar Defense Association. Marcia maintains an active pro bono practice and is dedicated to serving her community. She serves on the Executive Board of the Federal Bar Association, Northern District of California Chapter, and is a member and Co-Chair of the Stanford Latino Alumni Association, Northern California Chapter. Marcia earned her J.D., cum laude, and as a member of the Order of the Coif, from Cardozo School of Law. She received her B.A. in Political Science, with honors, from Stanford University.

Ashley Weinstein-Carnes, Real Estate.

Ashley Weinstein-Carnes is a land use attorney focusing on complex entitlement and permitting for development projects throughout the Bay Area. Ashley’s practice includes a wide range of product types and local jurisdictions. She has successfully obtained land use approvals for projects including mixed-use and multifamily residential developments, corporate R&D and office campuses, an NBA stadium, hospitals and medical facilities, and industrial facilities. Ashley has significant experience utilizing California’s evolving housing laws with a focused practice on streamlining strategies for residential and mixed-use residential projects; she regularly speaks and writes on changes in the regulatory landscape impacting housing production in California. In addition to her law practice, Ashley is a faculty lecturer at the University of California, Haas School of Business, where she teaches an interdisciplinary graduate course to business, law and planning students on land development and investment issues. Ashley is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, serving on the Leadership Team of the Small Scale Development National Product Council and the Steering Committee of the San Francisco District Council Young Leaders Group, and a member and former Vice-President of the Berkeley Real Estate Alumni Association. Ashley earned her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law with an Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Real Estate. While at Berkeley Law, Ashley was a member of the Ecology Law Quarterly Board and a Graduate Research Assistant at the UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation. She received her M.A. from Loyola Marymount University and earned her B.A., cum laude, from the University of Miami.

San Francisco (December 13, 2023) – San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to welcome Jennifer Scharre to the firm’s partnership.

Jennifer’s practice focuses on sophisticated wealth transfer strategies for high net worth clients, including founders, individuals at startups, and clients with large real estate portfolios. Her estate planning practice includes working with clients to develop and execute their legacy goals including drafting estate planning and entity documents. She also represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in all aspects of trust and estate administration including preparation of trust accountings and estate and gift tax returns.

Jennifer is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Silicon Valley Bar Association, where she is also Treasurer. Jennifer is a prolific speaker and she has been a Lecturer at both Santa Clara School of Law and UCSC Extension.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer to Coblentz,” said Jaime Mannon, partner and chair of Coblentz’s family wealth practice. “Her strong connections in the South Bay enhance our team’s existing depth and breadth of experience advising high net worth families, closely held businesses, and founders and senior executives across the Bay Area.”

2024 Best Lawyers® has ranked Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP among its list of 2024 “Best Law Firms,” including a National Tier 1 recognition for Land Use and Zoning Law and national rankings in 10 additional practice areas. The firm was also named a Tier 1 “Best Law Firm” in 12 practice areas in the San Francisco Metropolitan market, with 21 San Francisco Metropolitan rankings overall.

Thirty-five Coblentz attorneys are also recognized in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.

Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” recognizes firms for their professional excellence and consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise. Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes clients’ and peers’ evaluation of firms based on expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they would refer another client to the firm. To view additional details, please click here.

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass was named to Benchmark Litigation’s 2024 list of “Recommended Firms” in California, ranking in Tier 1 for Dispute Resolution – San Francisco.

In addition to the firm’s Tier 1 ranking, the following partners are recognized as Litigation Stars by Benchmark: Richard Patch is listed for Competition/Antitrust, Class Action, and General Commercial Litigation; Jonathan Bass is listed for Competition/Antitrust, Appellate, and General Commercial Litigation; Tim Crudo and Rees Morgan are listed for the White Collar Crime category; Cliff Yin is listed for the Labor and Employment, Real Estate, and General Commercial Litigation categories; and Katharine Van Dusen is recognized on the 40 & Under List for Commercial Litigation.

Benchmark Litigation is the definitive guide to the world’s leading litigation firms and lawyers. Its law firm and lawyer rankings are based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists, and clients and also take into account the market’s most important cases and firm developments.

In its annual listing of the nation’s top legal talent, Best Lawyers® recognized 35 Coblentz attorneys in the 2024 Best Lawyers® in America guide, including 15 attorneys recognized as Ones to Watch®.

Categories of recognition are listed below.

2024 Best Lawyers in America Recognitions

• Fred Alvarez: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Jon Bass: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate
• Jeff Bernstein: Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Tim Crudo: Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Phil Feldman: Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates Law
• Gregg Ficks: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Karen Frank: Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Alan Gennis: Real Estate Law
• Robert Hodil: Real Estate Law
• Miles Imwalle: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Megan Jennings: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Danna Kozerski: Real Estate Law
• Stephen Lanctot: Employment Law – Management
• Jaime Mannon: Trusts and Estates Law
• Barbara Milanovich: Real Estate Law
• Jim Mitchell: Trusts and Estates Law
• Harry O’Brien: Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Richard Patch: Appellate Practice, Litigation – Antitrust
• Doug Sands: Real Estate Law
• Tay Via: Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Real Estate Law

2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America Recognitions

• Kiana Araghi: Real Estate Law
• Leah Collins: Real Estate Law
• Jeff Dodd: Environmental Law
• Eric Hieber: Construction Law, Real Estate Law
• Ken Nabity: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Seth Pardee: Tax Law
• Ben Pulliam: Commercial Litigation
• Kyle Recker: Real Estate Law
• Laura Seegal: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Joy Spezeski: Real Estate Law
• Laura Srebro: Trusts and Estates
• Matthew Stone: Real Estate Law
• Marcia Valadez Valente: Commercial Litigation
• Ashley Weinstein-Carnes: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Christopher Wiener: Litigation – Intellectual Property

Best Lawyers lists are based entirely on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. The 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® is based on more than 16 million evaluations. To view the full rankings, please visit the Best Lawyers website.