T. Brent Hawkins

Partner

T. Brent Hawkins is a partner in the Municipal Law practice group of Best Best & Krieger LLP. Prior to joining the firm in 2010, he was a shareholder with McDonough Holland & Allen in Sacramento.

Mr. Hawkins practices redevelopment, land use, housing and environmental law (both transactional and litigation). He represents clients throughout California and in other western states, including Nevada and Idaho. His practice emphasizes negotiation of development and redevelopment transactions, asset management, preparation and lobbying of redevelopment legislation, and development and redevelopment related litigation.

Mr. Hawkins currently represents the cities of Brentwood, Capitola, Davis, Foster City, Hawthorne, Long Beach, Sacramento, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and others. He also represents various private development companies. In addition, Mr. Hawkins serves as general counsel to the California Redevelopment Association.

Mr. Hawkins’ litigation experience includes practice before state and federal courts relative to the Community Redevelopment Law, California Environmental Quality Act and California Relocation Assistance Act, as well as eminent domain and planning and zoning law. He was the lead attorney in CRA v. Genest, which successfully challenged the State of California’s shift of $350 million in tax increment revenue to Educational Revenue Augmentation Funds. Mr. Hawkins lectures frequently for organizations such as the California Redevelopment Association, League of California Cities and the University of California. He is chairman of the California Redevelopment Association Legal Committee.

Education

• Brigham Young University, J.D. (1977)
• Brigham Young University, B.A. (1974)

Bar Admissions

• California (1978)

Awards

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Municipal Law (2013-2017)
• Top Rated Lawyer in Land Use and Zoning by American Lawyer and Martindale-Hubbell (2013)
• Los Angeles Daily Journal Top Municipal Lawyers (2013)
• Northern California "Super Lawyer" (2004)
• Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent™ Rated

T. Brent Hawkins

Partner

• “The Rise and Fall of Redevelopment in California,” California Bar Real Estate Journal, Fall, 2012.
• Co-author, "Redevelopment in California", Solano Press Books 4th ed., 2009
• Contributing editor, "The California Municipal Law Handbook"

T. Brent Hawkins

Partner

Memberships

• California Redevelopment Association, member
• State Bar of California - Public Law Section, member
• Redevelopment Association of Nevada, member
• Urban Land Institute, member
• Northern California Public Real Estate Advisory Board, member
• University of California, Davis Extension, Adjunct Professor

Leadership

• Legal Committee of the California Redevelopment Association, Chairman