Samuel D. Bacal-Graves

Associate

Sam Bacal-Graves helps public and private clients successfully navigate complex permitting, land use, and environmental issues.

He aids developers and agencies with a wide range of legal issues, utilizing his knowledge of California’s land use laws. Specifically, Sam’s practice includes entitlement permitting, environmental compliance, and defending project approvals in litigation. Sam has expertise with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California’s constantly changing housing laws, the Subdivision Map Act, the Mitigation Fee Act, and other planning, land use, and environmental laws.

Sam graduated Order of the Coif from UC Davis School of Law. During law school, he worked as a research assistant for Professor Christopher Elmendorf, researching issues related to California housing law and policy and as an individual tutor for first-year law students. He now teaches 3L Analytical and Persuasive Writing as a lecturer at the law school. Sam is a regular contributor to CEQA Chronicles, the industry’s leading blog on CEQA law and litigation.

Professional, Community And Pro Bono Involvement

  • Sacramento County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
  • California Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section
  • UC Davis School of Law, Lecturer, Law 280: Analytical and Persuasive Writing, 2023-present
  • UC Davis School of Law, Bar Passage Essay Grader, 2022
  • UC Davis School of Law Academic Success Program, Tutor, 2018-2020
  • UC Davis Business Law Journal, Editor

Honors & Rankings

  • Order of the Coif
  • Witkin Awards for Local Government Law and Contracts
  • Dean’s Merit Scholarship Recipient, King Hall School of Law
  • Dean’s Honors List, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Environmental Law Certificate, 2020
  • Public Service Certificate, 2020
  • Pro Bono Certificate, 2020
  • Entitled the largest housing project ever approved in the Central City of Sacramento in approximately six months.
  • Successfully assisted in securing trial court dismissal of all three causes of action on demurrer for lawsuit challenging existing development in Madera County.
  • Assisted a municipality on CEQA compliance for electric utility regulatory changes and worked with co-counsel to negotiate settlement with adverse parties.
  • Assisting agency in defending several lawsuits filed under CEQA, the Subdivision Map Act, and the Planning and Zoning Law.
  • Assisted an affordable housing developer in making effective use of California’s housing laws to secure approval for a project in a hostile jurisdiction.
  • Advised developers on entitlement and CEQA strategies for multiple large infill developments in Sacramento.
  • Contributed to successful defense of a senior memory care facility in CEQA litigation filed by neighboring homeowners.

Announcements

1 related items

Blogs

9 related items

Legal Alerts

2 related items

Publications

3 related items

Before pursuing a career in law, Sam was a Director of Coffee and Director of Operations for a local coffee roaster and chain of cafes in Santa Cruz. He still has a love of food and cooking, and maintains a vegetable garden. He also enjoys cycling and spending time outdoors with his dog.

Professional, Community And Pro Bono Involvement

  • Sacramento County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
  • California Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section
  • UC Davis School of Law, Lecturer, Law 280: Analytical and Persuasive Writing, 2023-present
  • UC Davis School of Law, Bar Passage Essay Grader, 2022
  • UC Davis School of Law Academic Success Program, Tutor, 2018-2020
  • UC Davis Business Law Journal, Editor

Honors & Rankings

  • Order of the Coif
  • Witkin Awards for Local Government Law and Contracts
  • Dean’s Merit Scholarship Recipient, King Hall School of Law
  • Dean’s Honors List, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Environmental Law Certificate, 2020
  • Public Service Certificate, 2020
  • Pro Bono Certificate, 2020