Experience

Michael counsels clients throughout the state on land use, environmental, and regulatory matters related to commercial, industrial, mixed-use, renewable energy, and residential projects.  Michael's practice focuses on complex land use and environmental permitting, including review under the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the state and federal Endangered Species Acts, the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, as well as other local, state, and federal laws.

Michael’s experience includes counseling clients with projects before city and county agencies (use permits, reclamation plans, zoning and general plan amendments, and related CEQA issues); the California Department of Conservation (Williamson Act and SMARA issues); the California Department of Fish and Game (incidental take permits and streambed alteration agreements); Regional Water Quality Control Boards (401 certifications); the Bureau of Land Management (right-of-way and mining issues); the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (mitigation banks, Section 404 permits, and related NEPA issues); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (CWA enforcement actions); the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (ESA incidental take issues); and the U.S. Forest Service (right-of-way and mining issues).

General

Former Judicial Extern for the Honorable Peter Busch and the Honorable Patrick J. Mahoney, San Francisco Superior Court Law and Motion Department

EDUCATION

University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., cum laude, 2008)

University of Oregon (B.A. and B.S., magna cum laude, 2005)

MEMBERSHIPS

California Construction and Industrial Materials Association, Member

California State Bar, Environmental Law Section, Member

Sacramento County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section, Member

 

PUBLICATIONS

American Association of Professional Landmen, “Federal Mining Law Year In Review,” 2008, 2009 and 2010, Co-author

 

Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Newsletter, California Reporter, July 2009, January 2011 and July 2011, Author