Books on Land Use, Environmental, and Public Agency Law 


L34 cover_final_2-11-14-screen resCurtin’s California Land Use & Planning Law 
(Solano Press, 2014 Edition)

For over three decades, Curtin’s California Land Use & Planning Law has provided the definitive summary of California’s land use, planning and environmental laws. Co-authored by Cecily Barclay and Matthew Gray, together with other Perkins Coie California land use, environmental and real estate attorneys, this 688 page  book provides comprehensive guidance on all of the laws  regulating development in California and discusses the important appellate court decisions interpreting and applying those laws. Curtin’s California Land Use & Planning Law has been cited by the California Supreme Court and California appellate courts as a leading authority in the field.

Authored by Cecily Barclay and Matthew Gray. Contributing authors: Barbara Schussman, Geoff Robinson, Julie Jones, Marc Bruner and Marie Cooper, San Francisco Office. Available from Solano Press.

Practice Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEB, 2014 Edition)

Co-authored by Perkins Coie environmental and land use attorney Stephen Kostka, Practice Under the California Environmental Quality Act is now in its 20th year of publication. Considered the definitive guide to  CEQA,  this two-volume treatise has become an indispensable resource for environmental professionals, public agency staff, attorneys and the courts. This book is revised yearly to include commentary on the latest court decisions, new legislation, amendments to the CEQA Guidelines, and other important legal developments in the field.

Stephen Kostka, San Francisco Office, Co-Author. Available from California Continuing Education of the Bar.

 NEPA Litigation Guide (ABA, Second Edition, 2013)

NEPA Litigation GuideThe National Environmental Policy Act introduced the environmental impact statement, transformed decision making by federal agencies, and spurred the growth of an extensive body of environmental law. Taking a close look at the litigation of cases brought under the act, the NEPA Litigation Guide covers the most critical litigation issues, including jurisdiction, standard and scope of judicial review, and the specific concerns faced by litigators representing clients in NEPA cases.  

This leading practice guide also highlights and explains recent court decisions, new policies from the Council on Environmental Quality and other topical legal developments such as climate change and the NEPA process.

Albert M. Ferlo, Washington D.C. Office, Co-editor. Available from the American Bar Association.

The Endangered Species Act: Law, Policy and Perspectives (ABA, Second Edition, 2013)

Authored by noted practitioners in the field, Endangered Species Act: Law, Policy and Perspectives is an authoritative guide to the history of the ESA, the Act’s most critical provisions, complexities of its implementation, and the cutting-edge issues involving the protection of endangered wildlife and habitat. This book includes a comprehensive description of legal controversies and emerging case law, proposed agency reforms as well as the competing perspectives of interest groups.

Donald Baur, Washington D.C. Office, Co-editor. Published by the ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources. Available from the American Bar Association

California Administrative Mandamus (CEB, 2013 Edition)

Perkins Coie partner Geoffrey Robinson co-authors this comprehensive, two-volume treatise on judicial review of state and local agency administrative decisions. The book helps practitioners navigate the procedural complexities involved in administrative writ of mandamus review, covering the entire process, from the initial decision whether to petition for the writ, through trial, judgment and appellate review. It includes in-depth treatment of applicable standards of review, preparing the administrative record, and handling briefing and trial.

Geoffrey L. Robinson, San Francisco Office, Co-Author. Available from California Continuing Education of the Bar.

Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy (ABA 2008) 

This book covers the full array of issues in ocean and coastal law, such as maritime jurisdiction and boundaries, water quality protection, fisheries management, marine mammal protection, and offshore energy development and climate change. Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy brings together the expertise and insight of the leading scholars and practitioners in the field of ocean and coastal law on both the current state of the law and critical emerging issues.

Donald Baur, Washington D.C. Office, Co-editor. Published by the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources. Available from the American Bar Association 

Development by Agreement: A Tool Kit for Land Developers and Local Governments (ABA, 2012)

Increasingly, landowners and local governments use agreements to maximize their mutual interests in, and benefits from, many types of uses of land. Development by Agreement includes a complete description of the problems that can be solved by agreements between landowners and local governments relating to development, annexation, conservation, and a host of other land uses. Co-authored by Perkins Coie partner Cecily Barclay, this leading book on the subject of development agreements also includes a detailed analysis of the issues involved in negotiating, drafting and implementing development agreements, together with a comprehensive set of sample agreements.

Cecily Barclay, San Francisco Office, Co-Author. Published by the ABA Section of State and Local Government Law. Available from the American Bar Association.

California Subdivision Map Act and the Development Process (CEB, 2013 Edition)

California Subdivision Map Act and the Development Process provides comprehensive, in-depth guidance on one of the more complex statutes affecting development in California. This treatise takes readers through the process of determining when the Map Act applies, what exemptions or exclusions might be available, what type of map is required, the life of tentative maps, acquiring vested rights through vesting tentative maps, technical mapping requirements, and litigation under the Map Act, among other topics. The book is recognized as an authoritative source on the Map Act by planners, consultants and attorneys that practice in this area of land use law, and is cited by California courts.

Updated annually by San Francisco partner Matthew Gray, with co-author Robert Merritt.  Available from California Continuing Education of the Bar.