Oakland Environmental Lawyers

I have been in solo private practice representing plaintiffs in the areas of environmental, land use, and elections law for almost thirty years. My clients are usually local environmental groups, neighborhood associations, homeowner associations, and occasionally individuals or government agencies. In addition to my law degree (New College of Calif., 1990) have undergraduate and masters of science degrees in biology from Brown University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Harvard University. I spent ten years working as a researcher in agricultural biotechnology before doing a career change and getting my law degree.
I represent clients...

I am an accomplished California attorney, representing clients with Government, Environmental, Natural Resources and Land Use matters. I have over 30 years of experience with a broad array of federal, state and local issues. I bring knowledgeable and skilled advocacy to effectively and efficiently meet your legal needs. A recipient of CalCIMA's Spirit of the Industry Award, I am also listed among The Best Lawyers in America and Northern California Super Lawyers.

Ernest C. Brown, ESQ, PE is highly experienced in construction contracts, negotiation, claims preparation, construction litigation, mechanic’s liens, bid protests, public works law and insurance coverage. He has resolved more than 2,500 construction disputes, including complex mediations, arbitrations, litigation, court trials, jury trials, DRB's and other innovative ADR approaches. He is a graduate of MIT in Civil and Environmental Engineering and earned a MS Construction Management and JD from the University of California, Berkeley. He also did graduate coursework at Harvard Law School in International Law. He is a senior construction lawyer and licensed civil engineer. Mr. Brown has...

Jon Welner is a leading practitioner of environmental law in California. His broad and deep experience over twenty years enables him to solve regulatory problems for clients in virtually every area of environmental practice, including air, water, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, consumer products, traditional and renewable energy, and natural resources. Jon helps clients make sense of the “alphabet soup” of state and federal environmental regulatory agencies in order to achieve their business objectives. He regularly represents clients in court to defend their interests and achieve their goals.

Jon has a robust land use practice and assists clients to successfully navigate the...

Terrance J. Evans is a partner in the Trial Practice Group of Duane Morris in San Francisco. He concentrates his practice in representing the financial services industry, which includes international, national and community banks; loan service companies; and insurance companies.

With respect to the insurance industry, Mr. Evans concentrates his practice in complex commercial litigation and policy interpretation and analysis. He has represented commercial primary, excess and umbrella insurers in a wide range of multimillion-dollar cases, including declaratory relief, bad faith, rescission, subrogation, indemnity, additional insurance, interpleader and reformation actions.

In relation to the banking industry, Mr. Evans has represented international,...

Gary Grimm provides affordable and effective legal advice and representation on environmental regulatory matters, with a focus on water quality issues. Prior to establishing his law firm in 1996, Gary spent over 20 years in public service advising and representing multiple government environmental regulatory agencies.

Gary Grimm's extensive public and private sector experience enables him to address complex water quality issues and achieve client goals in a practical and cost-effective manner. He is currently advising and representing businesses, public agencies and individuals on all aspects of water quality regulatory matters before state, local and federal agencies. This advice and representation includes...

Dennis A. Yniguez is a Registered Consulting Arborist, an International Society of Arboriculture Board Certified Master Arborist, and the principal of Tree Decisions, an arboricultural consulting firm in Berkeley, California. He received B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Mr. Yniguez is a past president of the American Society of Consulting Arborists and has served on their national faculty since 2000. His consulting practice includes tree health and risk assessment, forensic examination and case analysis, insurance claim evaluation, expert trial assistance, and alternative...

Certified Appellate Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of State Bar of California

Practice Summary: Complex federal and state litigation in contracts, land use, government, administrative, constitutional property and speech, trusts and estates, product liability, land use and insurance law.

Specialties: Appeals, injunctions, writs of mandate, land use administrative proceedings, challenging local, state and federal action and enforcing local, statutory and constitutional law in federal and state courts.

Represents both plaintiffs and defendants; insurance defense; owners and contractors in construction disputes; beneficiaries and administrators