Public Law Practice Group

Our Public Law attorneys have handled specialized and high-profile disputes in both state and federal court, at the trial and appellate levels.  In our regular representation of public entities, we have handled: 

• Specialized and high-profile disputes involving professional sports teams and city venue naming rights;
• Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) litigation;
• Marijuana dispensary litigation and appeals;
• Contract and business tort disputes involving public projects;
• Inverse condemnation actions;
• Eminent domain disputes; and
• Brown Act compliance.

Selected Representative Matters

• ADA Litigation:  Our team has developed an expertise in the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and has advised clients on various nuances of the ADA.  This experience has provided the firm with a practical understanding of the ADA and related state laws including:

• Accessibility Guidelines:  In one litigation matter we have handled, the plaintiff alleged, among other things, Title II violations involving the accessibility of various areas of a public park.  Our team quickly became experts in the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (“ADAAG”) regarding specific requirements, including accessibility of parking, streets and sidewalks to building entrances, wheelchair ramps and restroom specifications.
• Building Compliance:  We analyze and resolve disputes regarding various building and code compliance issues.
• Parking Compliance:  We handle disputes regarding whether the appropriate number of handicap accessible designated parking spaces are provided or useable by the public. 
• Reasonable Compliance Analysis:  Measuring compliance against the complex web of federal and state laws is one of our specialties.
• Civil Rights:  The firm successfully handled a recent ADA case, Williams v. Super Tienda et al. (2013), in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, concerning alleged violations of civil rights on the basis of discrimination in public accommodations. 

• ADA Mediation:  Our expertise in the area of ADA law enabled one of our partners to serve as a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court random select mediation panel for ADA cases, spending countless hours listening to, evaluating and mediating numerous ADA cases brought by individual plaintiffs against business establishments and government entities.

• Baseball Team Name Change Dispute:  Attorneys in our Public Law practice group played a key role in the representation of the City of Anaheim in the high profile lawsuit between the City of Anaheim and the Los Angeles of Anaheim concerning the team’s name change.

• Brown Act:  We have handled various Brown Act matters relating to the sufficiency of notices and agendas, “special” meetings, “emergency” meetings, attendees’ rights, employee hearings, exceptions to the open meeting requirements, and similar issues. 

• City Municipal Code Regulation:  Our Public Law attorneys have argued at the California Court of Appeal, among others, obtaining successful results for cities such as Lake Forest.  We have successfully represented cities throughout California in obtaining injunctions, contempt orders, attorneys’ fees awards of over $500,000, and the dismissal of several cases. 

• City Regulation of Marijuana Dispensaries:  Our attorneys have co-authored several state court and appellate briefs, including advocating for the enforcement of Lake Forest’s and Laguna Niguel’s municipal codes, as related to various issues including marijuana dispensary regulation.  This includes successfully obtaining several injunctions, orders of contempt against operating dispensaries, and filing appellate briefs defending the City’s actions.  Many of these injunctions were ultimately upheld by the California Supreme Court.    
• Eminent Domain:  Members of our Public Law practice group have extensive experience in all aspects of eminent domain, including "right to take" challenges and proceedings to determine just compensation.