Coblentz Adds Top Ranked Team of Land Use Lawyers
David Gold, Miles Imwalle, and Megan Jennings join Coblentz’s Real Estate and Land Use Practice
San Francisco (July 23, 2018) – San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP, long known for its premier real estate and land use practice, is delighted to announce that prominent attorneys David A. Gold, Miles H. Imwalle, and Megan A. Jennings have joined its partnership. The group joins Coblentz’s Real Estate and Land Use practice.
The former Morrison & Foerster partners bring to the Coblentz firm their deep experience in the land use and CEQA side of the real estate practice, including commercial, mixed-use, medical center, renewable energy and residential development projects and have worked together on many of California’s highest profile projects. A few of the recent projects they have advised on include Apple’s new, approximately 3.4 million-square-foot campus in Cupertino; numerous utility-scale photovoltaic solar facilities for First Solar, EDF Renewables, Con Edison Development, and E.ON Renewables; the redevelopment of the 50 acre Vallco Mall in Cupertino, which is proposed to include a 30 acre publicly accessible green roof; the Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Railyards and Dublin medical centers; the public-private redevelopment of the 80-acre Oyster Point Marina area in South San Francisco; the San Ramon City Center for Sunset Development; and redevelopment of the Public Market in Emeryville.
“I am thrilled that David, Miles, and Megan have joined Coblentz. The depth of our real estate and land use practice becomes unparalleled with their addition. Together we create a group of superior lawyers with an unmatched level of sophistication, experience, and success in complex land use and development projects,” said Pamela Duffy, name partner of Coblentz. “These are great lawyers and fabulous people who come to us from one of the country’s leading law firms and it is our honor to have them join us.”
“From the perspective of clients confronting land use, CEQA and development challenges in California, this team’s resources, experience, and skills will be second to none,” said David Gold. “Miles, Megan and I are eager to join forces with a talented California focused firm which exemplifies a team-oriented, value-added approach as it counsels clients on their critical transactional and litigation matters.”
David A. Gold has dedicated his land use, CEQA and development practice to assisting a wide range of institutional, technology, healthcare, development, public and renewable energy clients before government agencies and commissions throughout Northern California for more than 37 years. He has been recognized by Legal 500 USA, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers, and holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In 2011, the Daily Journal recognized Mr. Gold as one of the top 25 land-use attorneys in California. He received his J.D. from the University of Southern California and his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.
Miles H. Imwalle advises clients on the development of commercial, residential, mixed-use and renewable energy projects throughout California, and in the land use aspects of financing real estate acquisitions and developments, including zoning, land use, permitting and environmental matters. Mr. Imwalle has been recognized by Legal 500 USA and Super Lawyers. In 2012, The Recorder named Miles among its 50 “Fast Track” lawyers. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law and his B.A. from Dartmouth College.
Megan A. Jennings focuses her practice on land use and environmental permitting, transactional matters, and compliance. Ms. Jennings counsels project developers throughout the CEQA review and land use entitlement process. She has particular experience advising on complex development issues for renewable energy projects, hospitals, corporate campuses, and multifamily/mixed-use facilities. She received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Montana.
Coblentz co-managing partner Danna Kozerski noted that Coblentz’s integrated real estate and land use services have always been one of the firm’s core practice areas and that having these excellent lawyers join the firm is part of a strategic plan to grow, broaden and deepen the firm’s ability to deliver great service to its clients. “We have been the go-to firm for large-scale, complex development projects for decades and intend to be that firm for many years to come.”
Coblentz’s Real Estate and Land Use Practice Group 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’ AT&T® Park, San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s® Stadium and the proposed 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, and the 152-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 the largest land use and conservation project in California history at Tejon Ranch. The Coblentz real estate 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, intellectual property, employment, tax and family wealth. Law360 named Coblentz a California Powerhouse firm in 2017. The National Law Journal named Coblentz to its nationwide Midsize Hot List four times. U.S. News & World Report recognizes Coblentz as one of the nation’s top law firms in the Best Law Firm list, with national rankings in 13 practice areas and six prestigious “Tier 1” rankings in the highly competitive San Francisco law firm category. For more information: www.coblentzlaw.com.