Bill Hutton and Misti Schmidt advised the developer, Emerald Fund, in “an innovative arrangement” that will convert the land at 333 Harrison St. into San Francisco’s newest park, Emerald Park. “The agreement, approved Tuesday night between the San Francisco Parks Alliance and the developers of Rincon Green Apartments, creates a conservation easement that bars future development on the site and requires that the owners keep and maintain the land as a public park.” Bill and Misti drafted and negotiated the conservation easement for Emerald Fund, leading to the opening of Emerald Park at no cost to the city or the people of San Francisco. “This is a smart, very special gift to the city,” said Mayor Ed Lee.

Click here for the full article.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Sept. 13, 2013 – Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass’ Litigation Group has been rated in the top 10 percent of all U.S. law firms for class actions. The ranking was featured in the recently released Litigation Outlook 2014 report by BTI Consulting Group, which annually provides in-depth analysis of the litigation market. BTI draws on direct feedback from interviews with corporate counsel at the world’s largest companies.

Coblentz has extensive experience defending class actions, including landmark cases representing cable giant Cox and Charter Communication and direct broadcast satellite leader DISH Network. Its litigators have also handled unfair business practice, real estate and environmental cases with notable client representations, such as Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, San Francisco 49ers and other Fortune 500 companies.

“Our Litigation Practice provides comparable skills and experience to large, international law firms, yet we provide focused client service and a creative approach to each case at a better value,” said name partner and cable, satellite and telecommunications litigation veteran, Richard Patch.

In addition to its Litigation Outlook 2014 ranking, Coblentz has also been named a ‘Go-To’ Law Firm for Litigation by Corporate Counsel magazine and Partner Jessica Grant was named to the Daily Journal’s Top 100 list for litigation.

Sony Music Entertainment attorney Julie Greer is highlighted in the Law360 article “Nina Simone’s Ex Has No Right To Recordings, Judge Hears” by Beth Winegarner.

“Sony [Music Entertainment], the estate of jazz singer Nina Simone and the late singer’s former lawyer urged a California federal judge Wednesday to force Simone’s ex-husband to hand over 52 of Simone’s master recordings so the parties can determine who owns the rights to them.” Sony Music Entertainment, attorney Steven Brown and the estate told Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins that “they all agree that her late ex-husband and former manager Andrew Stroud has no legal right to the recordings in his possession. . . . . Sony additionally asked the court to enforce an $18,000 sanction Stroud hasn’t yet paid.”

“In all cases we’re asking for a determination that the Stroud parties have no rights in the Nina Simone recordings,’ said Sony’s attorney Julia Greer of Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP. However, she asked Judge Cousins to hold off on declaring who owns the recordings until after the parties can inspect them and determine when they were recorded, which will help determine who owns them under various contracts.”

Sony Music Entertainment is represented by Coblentz lawyers Julie Greer and Kathleen McConnell.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4, 2013 – Coblentz welcomes Real Estate and Land Use Partner J. Gregg Miller, Jr. Gregg joins the firm from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, where he was a partner. Prior to Pillsbury, he practiced at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

Miller brings nearly 15 years of experience representing clients on a broad array of real estate transactions, including multi-property portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, complex land use matters, leasing and secured lending. Some of the notable projects Miller has worked on include the sale of the iconic John Hancock Center, the mortgage loan on the Presidio Landmark Apartments, a 100,000-square-foot lease in one of San Francisco’s marquee office buildings and the entitlements for an expansion of the San Francisco Columbarium, a designated historic landmark.

“Gregg adds tremendous depth to our firm and shares a like-minded focus on delivering superior client service,” said Coblentz Partner Harry O’Brien, a real estate and land use law veteran. “He also fits well into our ‘next generation’ team of leaders, both at the firm and in the industry. He will be working on some of our high profile projects, and I know that both our clients and his clients will benefit from our combined expertise and capabilities.”

Click here to read the full press release.

Pamela Duffy has been selected as the San Francisco Litigation – Land Use & Zoning “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed publication in the legal profession. This is the third year Duffy has received the “Lawyer of the Year” honor, which is awarded to a single lawyer in 16 high-profile legal specialties. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 1995.

“We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one’s peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the profession,” said Steven Naifeh, President of Best Lawyers. “We would like to congratulate Pam Duffy on being selected as the ‘San Francisco Best Lawyers Litigation – Land Use & Zoning Lawyer of the Year’ for 2014.”

Alan Gennis is honored as a “Top 25 Real Estate Transactional Lawyers” by the Daily Journal.

Alan is highlighted for his work on the 49ers new stadium project, a “$1.3 billion, 68,500 seat venue . . . complicated transaction . . . at the core was the challenge of finding what Alan calls a ‘win-win’ for both the team and the city.”

“It is the first professional football stadium constructed in California in 50 years . . . getting the city behind it is not the easiest thing . . . we needed a way to bring all of the constituencies together to reach an agreement,” said Alan.

Congratulations, Alan, on your well-deserved recognition.

Gregg Ficks led TMG Partners and Northwood Investors through a complicated bankruptcy court acquisition of some of San Francisco’s most sought-after real estate—seven parcels at First and Mission Streets, kitty-corner to the Transbay Terminal. The land was locked-up in a morass of bankruptcy court and state court litigation between other parties, which Gregg creatively broke-through to enable TMG/Northwood to acquire this massive project on which it will develop two towers with 2,000,000 square feet of office, retail and residential improvements. Coblentz’s land use team of Harry O’Brien, Caroline Guibert and Rob Hodil also assisted with the due diligence on acquisition. The deal size is over $100 million, a monumental project and deal for renowned developer TMG Partners, and for Northwood Investors.

Niners attorney Jonathan Bass is highlighted in the San Jose Mercury News article “Niners Win First Round – Team gets Restraining Order on $30 Million in Disputed Money” by  Mike Rosenberg and Steve Harmon.

“The San Francisco 49ers scored their first victory in the team’s fight with South Bay leaders to wrestle back $30 million in stadium funds, as a judge barred local school districts from spending the money and signaled he may soon give it to the team. The judge presiding over the case set a July 27, 2013 hearing at which he may rule on the 49ers’ claim that the team should get the funds because voters had earmarked the money specifically for the stadium.”

Jon Bass and Coblentz’s real estate, business, and litigation teams continue to represent the Niners in their stadium project and in other needs of the team.

Danna Kozerski has been elected as a Fellow of The American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), the premier organization of U.S. real estate lawyers. Admission is by invitation only after a rigorous screening process. ACREL’s distinguished, nationally-known lawyers have been elected to fellowship for their outstanding legal ability, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of real estate law. Danna is one of only 18 lawyers chosen nationally as a new member of ACREL in 2013, and one of only four in California.

Coblentz represented Tom Price and Adam Simms, well known auto dealers, in their acquisition of Carlsen Volvo in Palo Alto, CA.  We advised the buying entity, Price – Simms LLC, on the asset purchase including the related real estate work which  involved third parties.  The transaction was closed on an accelerated basis.  The financial terms are not being publicly disclosed.