Yamagiwa v. City of Half Moon Bay. Won judgment for $36.8 million in favor of plaintiff landowner in inverse condemnation action against City. A City-built storm drain project altered the topography of client's 24.7-acre parcel, causing stormwater to collect in depressions on the property. The City approved subdivision of the property for 83 homes, but development could not proceed due to seven year City-imposed moratorium based on sewer treatment capacity shortage. After the sewer plant was expanded, City reversed its earlier decision and determined that wetlands had developed on the property, precluding its residential development. Following bench trial, Court ruled that the City's storm drain project was a substantial cause of the development of the wetlands, and awarded the full amount of damages sought. (Yamagiwa v. City of Half Moon Bay, 523 F. Supp. 2d 1036 [N.D. Cal. 2007].)
Gypsum Resources, LLC v. Masto. Won summary judgment invalidating Nevada state statute as unconstitutional. Client owned 2400 acres of hilltop land west of Las Vegas, with sweeping views of The Strip and the Las Vegas Valley. The property was zoned for one unit per two acres, a holding zone that had been historically used by Clark County for outlying lands until municipal services were extended to the property. In 2003 the State of Nevada passed a statute that prohibited Clark County from ever changing the zoning for the property. At the same time, Clark County passed an ordinance prohibiting the client from submitting an application to change the property's zoning. The dual legislative acts were designed to freeze the property's rural zoning in order to make any development uneconomic, thereby lowering the value of the property so that federal funds could be used to buy the property more cheaply. We filed an action to invalidate both the State statute and the County ordinance as unconstitutional. The District Court ruled, on summary judgment, that the State statute was unconstitutional under the Nevada Constitution. The District Court also allowed the case to proceed against the County on a federal equal protection challenge. In light of this ruling, the County subsequently repealed its ordinance. (Gypsum Resources, LLC v. Masto, 672 F. Supp. 2d 1127 [D. Nev. 2010].)
Anderson, et al. v. State of California and Ahrens, et al. v. City of Malibu. Inverse condemnation actions on behalf of Pacific Coast Highway oceanfront homeowners against the State of California and the City of Malibu. Following the 1993 Malibu fire, mud, rocks, and other debris washed out of Pena Canyon and Piedra Gorda Canyon, blocking culverts under Big Rock Drive and Pacific Coast Highway. The materials flowed onto the highway and into clients' homes, flooding them with as much as four feet of debris. After a seven week bench trial, the trial court ruled that the State was liable for inverse condemnation. The cases thereafter settled for $11.25 million.
County of Contra Costa v. Tosco Corporation. Acquisition of strips of client's property on both sides of a state highway that bisected client's 640 acres in western Contra Costa County. The property included a petroleum coke facility on 130 acres, but the remainder of the land was undeveloped. The highway widening project damaged the development potential of the property by reducing its access to and from the highway. Following legal issues trial to determine the size and number of larger parcels, case settled for $9.6 million.
Orange County Transportation Authority v. OC Mills. Represented owner of The Block at Orange, a regional mall in Orange County, in eminent domain action. OCTA acquired 1.29 acres from mall's parking lot and outer ring road in connection with widening of State Route 22. The take impacted parking and internal circulation on the property. OCTA's initial offer was $2.2 million. After two years of litigation, the case settled for $7.75 million just prior to trial.
County of San Diego v. Ryan Companies US, Inc. Eminent domain action by the County of San Diego to acquire contractual development rights from developer, our client.160;The County had entered into a Disposition and Development Agreement with client, allowing client to develop 108 acres of County-owned land in the City of Santee, located at the northern terminus of the San Diego trolley. Client obtained entitlements from the City of Santee to construct a mixed-use project, including offices, a movie theatre, and multifamily residential. Later the County decided to expand the Las Colinas Detention Facility, a County-operated women's jail, onto part of the 108 acres that it had included in the development rights contract with client. The County filed an eminent domain action to acquire from client the development rights over 15.5 acres of County-owned land that were included in the earlier contract. The action was unique in that it did not involve the condemnation of real property, but only the condemnation of contractual rights to develop real property. The County contended that the development rights were essentially worthless in light of the declining real estate market and the limited term of the contract. It offered $25,000 for the development rights. The case settled for payment by the County to client of over $1.7 million, an increase of 68 times over the County's initial offer.
City of Rancho Cucamonga v. Hofer Properties, LLC. Clients owned 9.6 acres adjacent to the Metrolink railroad tracks in Rancho Cucamonga. The City acquired a strip off the property's frontage to construct a grade separation, allowing the abutting street to pass underneath the railroad tracks. The grade separation caused the clients' remaining property to suffer severance damages consisting of diminished access and visibility. The City's initial offer was $225,000. One week before trial the case settled for $2 million plus a project change allowing restored access to the property.
Greenwood & Co. v. C-D Investment Co. Represented defendant in 12-week jury trial involving the largest real estate commission in California history, over $12 million. Jury returned tort verdict exceeding $42 million against all remaining defendants except our client. The Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment and the case settled after the California Supreme Court accepted review.
City and County of San Francisco v. Chevys Restaurants. Eminent domain action by City and County of San Francisco for expansion of Moscone Convention Center. The acquisition included Client's flagship restaurant location. client relocated its restaurant one block away from the acquired location and, after legal issues trial concerning lease, client settled its claim for lost goodwill for $3.8 million.
Azusa Pacific University v. San Diego Community College District. Inverse condemnation action for lost goodwill by private university that was displaced when its leased property was acquired for public use. Client was offered no compensation and was forced to sue to recover increased rents that were charged at relocation site. Client recovered over $700,000 in relocation benefits and compensation for lost goodwill.
Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority v. EKCO Metals. Acquisition of a portion of property owned by family-run metals recycling business that had been in business for over 50 years. The acquisition was reconfigured in order to allow client to stay in business, and client's remaining claims were settled for $4.1 million.
City of Placentia v. Office Depot. Acquisition by City of Placentia of successful office supplies store for ONTRAC trenched rail project. The store relocated to a nearby location in Fullerton that was not as favorable as the acquired location. Client asserted claims for value of the real estate, lost goodwill, and fixtures and equipment. Following depositions of expert appraisers, case settled just before trial for $5.6 million.
State of California v. U-Haul Real Estate Company. Direct condemnation case involving 25,000 square feet of land taken from client's 4.25-acre parcel located in City of Riverside. Jury verdict after two-week trial and partial settlement resulted in recovery of more than four times the amount originally deposited by the State.
Beck v. Evans, et al. Represented the former owner of a Malibu oceanfront home severely damaged in a landslide. Client was a cross-defendant in the case, which involved the present and former owners of five oceanfront properties near Point Dume. Plaintiff sought over $13 million in damages. After depositions of 47 expert witnesses, a favorable settlement was reached with numerous parties, removing client from the litigation.
Carousel Records v. Belkin Productions. four week jury trial involving claim of interference with recording contract. Represented recording artist and his manager, who were defendants. Artist was signed to a recording contract with major label through an independent producer. The producer alleged that artist and his manager tried to enter into a direct contract with major label, cutting out the producer. Court granted nonsuit in favor of artist and manager.
Travers Realty Corporation v. Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York. Represented real estate broker in claim for commission involving master lease of Warner Ridge property by insurance company. Claims involved both breach of contract and business torts. Following a series of successful rulings by temporary judge (including lifting of an injunction against foreclosure), confidential settlement was reached.
Ellis v. State of California. Represented owner of Pacific Palisades home severely damaged by earth movement. This was a test case for five other properties in the Castellamare area. Following a three week jury trial, jury returned a verdict in favor of clients. The cases then settled for a total of $7.5 million.
Los Angeles Unified School District v. KFC of America, Inc. Acquisition by LAUSD of 2.9-acre site in South Gate that included client's restaurant on leased pad. Client asserted claims for lost goodwill (against LAUSD) and for the bonus value of its lease (against its landlord). Following mediation with LAUSD, and on the eve of trial against the landlord, case settled for a total of $1.35 million.
City of Oakland v. Oakland Raiders. Research and writing, as junior associate, on trial and appellate proceedings involving City's effort to acquire football team by eminent domain.
Williams, et al. v. California Association of Realtors. Research, writing, and trial preparation (as junior associate) in a series of antitrust cases defending various multiple listing services throughout California.
Representative Pro Bono Matters
D.R. v. Antelope Valley Union High School District. Client was a 17-year-old honors student with a neurological condition that prevented her from climbing stairs. The District opened a new high school at the beginning of client's junior year that was two stories, with classrooms and the school library located on the upper floor. The school had four elevators, but they were kept locked. The District refused client's request for an elevator key that would have allowed her to independently travel between floors. Instead, it required her to find an adult with a key to unlock the elevator whenever she needed to use one. The result was that client missed substantial classroom instructional time, was prevented from participating in certain extracurricular activities that were held on the upper floor, and was required to sacrifice her independence and rely on others to provide the access she needed. After attempts to resolve the matter informally were unsuccessful, we filed an action against the District under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the California Unruh Act. The District Court granted our motion for a mandatory preliminary injunction, requiring the District to provide an elevator key to client as a reasonable accommodation to allow her to independently travel between the school's two floors. The case set a national precedent as the first published decision to deal specifically with the provision of an elevator key to a disabled student. (D.R. v. Antelope Valley Union High School District, 746 F. Supp. 2d 1132 [C.D. Cal. 2010].)