Coblentz family wealth associate Laura Srebro has joined the Board of Directors of Hands Across The Valley, a non-profit organization that raises money specifically for the safety net food programs in Napa County – including The Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, and other vital programs that service those in need from American Canyon to Calistoga. Hands Across the Valley, guided by its Board of Directors, is committed to working toward the goal of a community without hunger.

Laura focuses on estate planning and trust administration and guides families and individuals through the complete estate planning process, advising on the best estate and gift tax, income tax, and property tax planning strategies. She is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of Hands Across The Valley, Laura is a Board Member of Napa Valley Support Services and a member of the Stewardship Committee of the Napa Valley Community Foundation. She is also an active member and past President of the Napa County Women Lawyers.

 

Coblentz Family Wealth practice and four partners are recognized in the 2021 Chambers HNW (High Net Worth) Guide in the Private Wealth Law category for Northern California. Chambers HNW, published by Chambers & Partners, ranks the top legal advisers to high net worth individuals and organizations. Practice chair Jim Mitchell and partners Phil Feldman and Jaime Mannon are again ranked as Leading Lawyers, and partner Mitchell Edwards is listed among only four Up & Coming attorneys in the category.

Jim Mitchell is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Jim advises high net worth clients on tax planning and trust and estate administration. One source noted he “is very experienced and expert in the area of estates and trusts,” adding that, “much more important to me is that he cares and is deeply personally involved. Jim is thoughtful and has the ability to put himself in his clients’ shoes.”

Phil Feldman is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Phil assists wealthy individuals and families with income, philanthropic, and gift and estate tax planning, with Chambers noting that he is also “praised for his handling of complex inter-generational succession planning.” One source commented that “Phil’s approach is detail-oriented and very current. With over 30 years of experience, he brings a lot of knowledge on how other families have handled similar situations.” Another source noted, “Phil is an excellent attorney, and an even better human being.”

Jaime Mannon is ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Jaime offers affluent individuals and families assistance with estate and gift tax planning and cross-border tax planning. According to one source, she “is everything you want in a lawyer for estate planning purposes.” Another commented, “Jaime’s strength is her focus; if there is a particularly complex document that needs to be drafted, she disappears into her work and her focus is incredible.” Another interviewee noted,  “She is really honest and a straight shooter, so I appreciate her candor. She is not in any way arrogant or non-transparent.”

Mitch Edwards is listed in the Chambers HNW Up & Coming category. Mitch assists high net worth clients with estate planning, administration matters, and litigation. An industry adviser commented, “He is able to digest complex planning situations quickly. Many of the clients that I refer to him require highly sophisticated [trust and estate] solutions, and Mitch has always stepped up to the plate and delivered. He has a strong ability to listen to a family’s specific needs and deliver tailored solutions rather than standard, out-of-the-box recommendations. He communicates in a calm and reassuring way, and gives clients confidence and trust in his work.”

The Coblentz Family Wealth practice is also listed by Chambers HNW in Band 2 for Private Wealth Law, Northern California. One client commented, “They are expert and offer both practical and legal advice. They stay current and reach out with new developments in the law that will affect us. I think they are very good.” Another noted that “one of their strengths is that they have specialists in the firm that can handle various different types of problems and situations that come up.” A wealth expert added, “If you go to an attorney there, assume they are smart and technically perfect. I cannot function without them in my life. Their strengths are they surround and support you and come with their best game.”

Independent and objective, Chambers USA and Chambers HNW are carefully researched and widely considered to be one of the most reputable law firm directories in the world. Ranking criteria include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, business understanding, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by legal clients.

Additional Chambers USA Rankings

Six additional Coblentz partners and three practices are recognized in the Chambers USA 2021 Guide, also published by Chambers & Partners. Real Estate and Land Use partners Pamela Duffy, Harry O’Brien, and Alan Gennis; Litigation partners Timothy Crudo and Rees Morgan; and Employment partner Fred Alvarez are ranked as Leading Lawyers in their respective categories. Coblentz’s Land Use, Real Estate, and White Collar Defense and Government Investigations practices are also listed. You can read more about our Chambers USA rankings here.

The Legal 500 United States has named Coblentz a “Top Tier” firm in the Real Estate – Land Use/Zoning category, with a National Tier 1 ranking.

Of our real estate and land use practice, one client notes “The team has deep knowledge and experience in not only legal but also political issues in land use matters,” and another adds the team is “Very well connected to local and regional regulatory agencies.”

Real estate and land use partners Pamela Duffy and Frank Petrilli received individual recognition in the 2021 guide. Pamela Duffy has been named to the “Hall of Fame” list, which honors lawyers who have received constant praise from their clients for continued excellence and who are at the pinnacle of the profession. Frank Petrilli has been recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in the nationwide Land Use/Zoning category.

The Legal 500 Series provides worldwide coverage on legal services providers in more than 150 jurisdictions and highlights the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. Rankings are based on a series of criteria, including research based on feedback from more than 300,000 clients worldwide.

Six Coblentz partners and three practices have been recognized by Chambers & Partners in the Chambers USA 2021 Guide, adding newly recognized litigation partner Rees Morgan and Coblentz’s Northern California real estate practice to the list. Real estate and land use partners Pamela Duffy and Harry O’Brien are listed as leading lawyers in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – California category, real estate partner Alan Gennis is listed as leading lawyers in the Real Estate – Northern California category, litigation partners Timothy Crudo and Rees Morgan are listed in the Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations – California category, and Employment partner Fred Alvarez is listed in the Labor & Employment – California category.

Independent and objective, Chambers USA is carefully researched and widely considered to be the most reputable law firm directory in the world. Ranking criteria include technical legal ability, client service, commercial vision and business understanding, diligence, depth of the team, value for money, and other qualities most valued by legal clients.

Real Estate & Land Use

Coblentz’s real estate and land use practice is again ranked by Chambers USA 2021 Guide in the top tier, Band 1, in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use category for California. Our land use practice has been continuously ranked by Chambers for many years and is now joined by the real estate practice, ranked by Chambers USA 2021 Guide in Band 3 in the Real Estate category for Northern California. Of our real estate and land use practices, one client notes “They are incredibly knowledgeable and detailed on the specifics,” and another added, “They are attentive and provide practical advice.” Three real estate and land use partners continued to receive individual rankings.

Pamela Duffy is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in the top tier, Band 1, in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – California category. Clients quoted by Chambers noted that “Pam is a fantastic practitioner,” and, “She is incredibly prominent.” Pam has been recognized by Chambers since 2003.

Harry O’Brien is also again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 3 in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – California category. When interviewed about Harry, one client remarked, “Harry is smart, articulate and knows the city very well – he has a long and deep experience of projects in San Francisco and is a great resource.” Harry has been recognized by Chambers since 2003.

Alan Gennis is ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 3, in the Real Estate – Northern California category. Clients remarked that “Alan is really knowledgeable, creative and very solution-oriented,” and “He is thoughtful, thorough and well-reasoned and has a really nice bedside manner with clients.” Alan has been recognized by Chambers since 2018.

Litigation

Coblentz’s white collar defense and investigations practice is newly ranked by Chambers USA 2021 Guide in Band 4 in the Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations category for California. Chambers notes that the practice is a “robust white-collar criminal defense group with strong credentials in defending SEC and DOJ investigations and enforcement actions.” Two litigation partners also received individual rankings in the category.

Timothy Crudo increased in rankings as a Leading Lawyer in Band 3 in the Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations category for California. A client noted, “He is a master of facts and a brilliant storyteller for his clients.” Tim has been recognized by Chambers since 2016.

Rees Morgan is newly ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 5 in the Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations category for California. Of Rees, one client noted he “is thorough and excellent at describing legal maneuvers and consequences in easy-to-understand terms,” and another mentioned, “He is highly intelligent, deeply analytical and has a real sense of what a case is worth.”

Employment

Employment partner Fred Alvarez is recognized as a Senior Statesperson in California in the Labor & Employment category. One client raved that Fred “is a fantastic lawyer. He is highly intelligent and strategically precise and has amazing insights.” Another noted, “He is very smart and pleasant to work with.”

To view the complete list of Coblentz rankings in Chambers USA 2021, please visit the publication’s website.

Additional Chambers Rankings: High Net Worth Guide

Coblentz Family Wealth practice and four Family Wealth partners, James Mitchell, Philip Feldman, Jaime Mannon, and Mitchell Edwards, are ranked in the Private Wealth Law category of the Chambers HNW (High Net Worth) guide for Northern California. Chambers HNW, also published by Chambers & Partners, ranks the top lawyers and law firms for international private wealth. When asked about the Coblentz Family Wealth practice, one source commented, “Besides knowing their subject matter well, they all have tremendous people skills from the litigation attorneys down to the legal secretaries and paralegals. Another strength is that they try and resolve an issue in a fair and sensible fashion. They seem to have respect for the other side, which in my opinion has helped solve matters sooner rather than later. As a whole, I find that everyone I have worked with has had very good mediation skills.” You can read more about our Chambers HNW rankings here.

Coblentz real estate and land use associate Ashley Weinstein-Carnes has been named as a Connect Media 2021 Next Generation Award winner for the California region. Connect Media’s annual Next Generation Awards recognize young leaders who are poised to continue to be influential in the commercial real estate industry — because of their talent, drive, and fresh ideas. The winners were chosen from nearly 500 nominations from all sectors of the commercial real estate industry, ranging from brokerage to development to real estate law and finance.

Ashley is active in the commercial real estate community and is passionate about engaging her fellow younger generation of leaders. She is a member of several local CRE organizations and holds leadership positions with the Urban Land Institute and UC Berkeley’s Real Estate Alumni Association. Ashley is part of the next generation of land use and real estate attorneys guiding high-profile, complex developments in California. Her land use practice focuses on local administrative permitting, and she has successfully obtained land use approvals for large-scale projects, including mixed-use and multifamily residential developments, corporate R&D and office campuses, and industrial facilities. She also advises institutional investors, lenders, developers, landowners, and lessees and lessors with regard to existing land use restrictions and agreements, as well as strategies and requirements for the re-entitlement of property.

Coblentz real estate and land use partner Jeff Dodd was named to the North Bay Business Journal’s 2021 Forty Under 40 list, recognizing 40 young professionals making an impact in the North Bay.

Jeff specializes in land use, environmental, and water law. Born and raised in Napa Valley, Jeff’s work has had a wide-reaching impact on the North Bay business community. He assists entrepreneurs, small business owners, wineries, farmers, and non-profits seeking to own, develop, and add value to real property. Jeff takes pride in helping his clients understand the regulatory and political issues associated with their projects and working with local communities to develop environmentally-responsible and sustainable developments.

Read Jeff’s profile in the North Bay Business Journal here.

Coblentz real estate partner Gregg Miller has joined the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR), a leading Bay Area civic planning organization respected for its independent and holistic approach to urban issues. Gregg’s board membership continues Coblentz’s longstanding relationship with SPUR and its board over the years. The late Bill Coblentz was actively involved with the organization, and litigation partner Charmaine Yu most recently served on the Board of Directors.

Gregg brings a rare mix of broad real estate transactional experience and extensive land use experience to the matters he handles. He represents clients in acquisitions, dispositions and financings, while also helping clients navigate the complexities of land use approvals. He has extensive experience in public-private partnership deals and has also represented lenders and borrowers in complex work-outs on troubled assets.

In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of SPUR, Gregg is president of the board of directors of Community Housing Partnership (CHP). He is also a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the Real Property Section of the San Francisco Bar Association, and the University of San Francisco Law Review.

San Francisco (April 1, 2021) – San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to welcome Rosanna Marrero Neagle to the firm’s partnership.

Rosanna Neagle provides clients with business counseling and an in-house counsel perspective on corporate matters. With more than twenty years as a General Counsel and a senior legal advisor to global food and beverage and apparel companies including Nestlé USA, Clif Bar, and Levi-Strauss, Rosanna has extensive experience with marketing and advertising matters; intellectual property counseling; sales and distribution including antitrust, competition, and commercial transactions; employment advice and counseling; and litigation and mediation.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rosanna to the partnership,” said Sara Finigan, co-managing partner and co-chair of Coblentz’s corporate practice. “Her in-house perspective and 360-degree approach to client service, as well as her experience leading and developing legal teams is a great benefit to our clients.”

Rosanna serves on the Board of Centro Legal de la Raza, a legal services organization located in Oakland. Centro Legal provides direct legal services to low-income, immigrant, and Latino communities in the areas of housing, employment, and immigration, and works with low-income youth of color to help them attend and graduate from college. Rosanna’s professional affiliations also include the American Bar Association, the California Bar Association, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, and the American Association of Corporate Counsel.

“Rosanna is playing a key role in shaping our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at Coblentz,” said Danna Kozerski, co-managing partner of the firm.

“I am delighted to join the partnership at Coblentz,” said Rosanna Neagle. “I look forward to expanding upon my role at the firm to not only drive innovative and creative solutions for our clients, but also partner with colleagues across the firm on our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.”

 

About Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP
Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is a premier provider of innovative, results-oriented legal services, specializing in real estate, litigation, business, employment, tax, and family wealth. U.S. News & World Report recognizes Coblentz as one of the nation’s top law firms in the Best Law Firm list, with national and local rankings in 16 practice areas and six prestigious “Tier 1” rankings in the highly competitive San Francisco law firm category. Law360 named Coblentz a California Powerhouse firm. The National Law Journal named Coblentz to its prestigious, nationwide Midsize Hot List four times.  For more information: www.coblentzlaw.com.

San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to welcome Frank Petrilli to the firm’s partnership. Frank joins Coblentz from Arent Fox.

Frank Petrilli is a trusted advisor to his clients on all matters related to entitlement strategy, land use and land use litigation, and compliance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). His recent projects include advising on Facebook’s headquarters expansion in Menlo Park, as well as working closely with Facebook’s public policy team in connection with its $1 billion housing investment in California; advising Kylli in connection with the Burlingame Point office campus project; as well as advising on a number of prominent multifamily, mixed-use, hospitality, office and life science projects throughout the Bay Area.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Frank to Coblentz,” said Matt Bove, partner and chair of Coblentz’s real estate and land use practice. “His geographic focus on the Mid-Peninsula, Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz enhances our team’s existing depth and breadth of expertise in these areas, and his particular experience with complex entitlement matters makes him a great addition to our deep bench of top-notch land use attorneys.”

Frank serves on the Board of Directors of the San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA) and the Bay Area Council. In 2020, he was named among the “Top 40 Under 40” attorneys in California by the Daily Journal and is a Legal 500 recommended Land Use & Zoning attorney (2017-2020), as well as a “Northern California Rising Star” by Super Lawyers every year since 2016.

“I was attracted to Coblentz by the depth and quality of the land use practice, as well as the firm’s collaborative culture, its values, and, of course, its people. My clients will undoubtedly benefit from having access to such a talented and committed team of lawyers,” said Frank Petrilli. “I am thrilled and privileged to join what I truly believe is the strongest real estate and land use practice in California.”

Coblentz’s real estate and land use practice has guided some of the largest commercial and residential development projects and transactions in California. These projects vary from major sports arenas including the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle® Park, San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s® Stadium and the LA Clippers’ arena in Inglewood to major neighborhood-transforming projects such as the $1 billion 5M Project (one of the largest mixed-use projects in San Francisco), Catellus Development Corporation’s 300-acre Mission Bay project, redevelopment of the Vallco shopping mall in Cupertino (the first mixed-use, mixed-income project in the state to successfully use SB 35), and the 154-acre Napa Pipe residential redevelopment project in Napa County. Also included among our notable representations are renowned cultural institutions such as the California Academy of Sciences and the Exploratorium, world-class health care campuses including Sutter Health/California Pacific Medical Center hospital rebuilding projects in San Francisco and John Muir Health facilities throughout the East Bay, and the largest land use and conservation project in California history at Tejon Ranch. The Coblentz Real Estate and Land Use group is top ranked in Chambers USA and Legal 500 USA, and our attorneys and projects are continuously awarded by The Best Lawyers in America, The Daily Journal, and the San Francisco Business Times, among others.

The firm’s Unfamiliar Terrain blog provides insights into the complex Bay Area land use landscape.

 

About Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is a premier provider of innovative, results-oriented legal services, specializing in real estate, litigation, business, employment, tax and family wealth. U.S. News & World Report recognizes Coblentz as one of the nation’s top law firms in the Best Law Firm list, with national and local rankings in 16 practice areas and six prestigious “Tier 1” rankings in the highly competitive San Francisco law firm category. Law360 named Coblentz a California Powerhouse firm. The National Law Journal named Coblentz to its prestigious, nationwide Midsize Hot List four times.  For more information: www.coblentzlaw.com.

Coblentz employment partner Fred Alvarez was awarded the Best Lawyers® 2021 Litigation – Labor & Employment “Lawyer of the Year” and real estate partner Danna Kozerski was awarded the Best Lawyers® 2021 Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year” in San Francisco by Best Lawyers in America® in its annual listing of the nation’s top legal talent. Fred is one of the preeminent employment lawyers in the United States. He combines a distinct blend of employment law experience, public service, and legal profession leadership and provides strategic and compliance advice to employers. Danna is a well-recognized real estate lawyer who specializes in public/private partnerships and the formation of joint ventures. She represents developers and companies in a range of commercial real estate transactions.

Twenty-eight Coblentz attorneys are also listed in the 2021 Best Lawyers in America® guide, including eight attorneys recognized for the first time this year as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Congratulations to these attorneys for inclusion in the guide in the following categories in San Francisco:

• 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
• Pam Duffy: Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Real Estate Law
• 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
• David Gold: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Jeff Knowles: Commercial Litigation
• Danna Kozerski: Real Estate Law
• Stephen Lanctot: Employment Law – Management
• Barbara Milanovich: Real Estate Law
• Jim Mitchell: Trusts and Estates Law
• Harry O’Brien: Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Richard Patch: Litigation – Antitrust
• Doug Sands: Real Estate Law
• Lawrence Siskind: Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Tay Via: Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Real Estate Law

The following attorneys are listed on the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list for 2021:

• Caitlyn Chacon: Litigation – Antitrust
• Kadeidra Honey: Trusts and Estates
• Tamara Lam-Plattes: Real Estate Law
• Seth Pardee: Tax Law
• Ben Pulliam: Commercial Litigation
• Kyle Recker: Real Estate Law
• Joy Spezeski: Real Estate Law
• Christopher Wiener: Litigation – Intellectual Property

Best Lawyers lists are based entirely on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. The 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America is based on more than 8 million evaluations and recognizes just over 65,000 attorneys, the top six percent of private practicing attorneys in the US.