Best Best & Krieger News Feed

Environmental Consultant

28 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Best Best & Krieger has an immediate need for an in-house Environment and Natural Resources Consultant to provide technical assistance in the review and preparation of environmental documents related to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ideal candidate should have significant technical experience in the following areas:

• Project design, scoping and procedural compliance
• Air quality, traffic, noise, and water quality analysis
• Biological and cultural resource assessments
• Preparation of documents related to CEQA, NEPA and ESA compliance, including joint documents with federal agencies
• Community outreach and comment analysis
• Other technical environmental planning services, as appropriate

In addition to technical expertise in the areas identified above, necessary skills include strong technical writing skills, attention to detail, ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, ability and desire to work as part of a team, and strong client communication skills.

Qualified applicants are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applicants must attach a resume and cover letter to be considered for employment. This self-apply feature is compatible with Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8 & 9, Mozilla Firefox for Windows, or Safari for Macintosh. PLEASE NOTE, IF USING AN APPLE PRODUCT, YOU MUST TURN OFF POP UP BLOCKER.

lawcruit.micronapps.com/sup/lc_supp_jobpost.aspx

Please address cover letters to:

Debbie A. Prior
Director of Human Resources
Best Best & Krieger LLP

No phone calls please

Best Best & Krieger LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Required Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training for Supervisors

01 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0800

BB&K provides the State-mandated Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training Program requirements at our offices through California on a quarterly basis.

Contact:
events@BBKlaw.com

Custom Training Programs at Your Facility

Our attorneys can prepare and present a customized program at your place of employment. These programs can be tailored to reflect the policies and needs of your organization.

Contact your BB&K Labor & Employment Law attorney to schedule on-site training, or call Sally.Bondy@bbklaw.com or (951) 826-8356

All participants in BB&K Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training Programs will receive a certificate of completion to acknowledge that they and your organization have satisfied this State requirement.**

* Travel over 30 miles from the nearest BB&K office may be subject to an additional charge.

* Assembly Bill 1825 requires that by January 1, 2006, any private employer with 50 or more employees and all public agencies must provide at least two hours of classroom or other effective interactive training and education on sexual harassment to all supervisory employees who are employed as of July 1, 2005, and to all new supervisory employees within six months of their assumption of a supervisory position. Furthermore, this training must be presented by trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in the prevention of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.

BB&K Attorneys Win $57 Million in Transportation Fee Dispute on Behalf of WRCOG

10 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0800

*Updated

Best Best & Krieger attorneys Jeffrey V. Dunn and Thomas J. Eastmond won a $43 million trial award on behalf of the Western Riverside Council of Governments in a transportation fee dispute with the City of Beaumont.

An Orange County Superior Court judge found that Beaumont failed to comply with its municipal ordinance requiring Beaumont to collect and remit transportation impact fees to WRCOG. The impact fees are part of the Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) Program administered by WRCOG. Under the TUMF Program impact fees collected from new development in western Riverside County are remitted to WRCOG and allocated to build new transportation infrastructure to mitigate the impact of development on the regional transportation system.

During the four-week trial, BB&K provided evidence that Beaumont failed to comply with its TUMF obligations and, instead, created both tax and traffic burdens on Beaumont’s own residents. The court found that“ the evidence shows poor local transportation planning and execution.” The court went on to conclude that “[t]he evidence and testimony reveals that city management and staff engaged in a pattern and practice of deception that transcends the typical give-and-take of dispute negotiation. Had this been a typical civil trial I would have found fraud by clear and convincing evidence as against the city.” (*In May 2016, seven former top city officials were charged for misappropriating the funds.)

In addition to the $43 million, WRCOG will be awarded pre-judgment interest of at least $20 million. BB&K attorney Steven DeBaun, who is general counsel to WRCOG, also assisted with the case.

AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training (April 28)

28 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0800

California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, pursuant to AB 1825, requires that employers with fifty or more employees in California provide at least two hours of Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training every two years to any employee that has a supervisory role in operations. This presentation is designed to satisfy those requirements.

Joseph Ortiz presented the training from the Riverside office. All other BB&K offices participated in the training via state-of-the-art video conferencing. The video conference is interactive, allowing attendees to ask questions and participate in other ways.

What was covered:

What constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace
How to recognize and avoid it
What procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself
The potential consequences - including personal liability - of sexual harassment

Audience:

Supervisors
Human Resources Professionals
Public Officials
Managers & Private Business Professionals with 50 or More Employees

When:

Monday, April 28
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Registration:

The training was also held via video conference at the following BB&K offices throughout California.

Indian wells
Irvine
Los Angeles
Ontario
Riverside – Joseph Ortiz presented from the Riverside office
Sacramento
San Diego
Walnut Creek

BB&K Presenter:

Joseph Ortiz, Partner, Labor & Employment Practice Group in Riverside office

QUESTIONS:

Contact Katey Lamke if you have any questions about this event and/or about BB&K upcoming seminars/events.

If you are not currently receiving our Legal Alerts and would like to be added to our email distribution list, please visit our subscription page.

The Daily Journal Honors BB&K Attorney With Top 20 Defense Result in California

12 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Feb. 12, 2014
Media Contact: Jennifer Bowles • 951.826.8480 • jennifer.bowles@BBKlaw.com

RIVERSIDE, Calif. _ The Daily Journal today selected a court victory in a San Bernardino County case that was handled by Best Best & Krieger attorney Kendall MacVey as a top 20 defense result in California for 2013.

The state’s chief legal daily newspaper recognized MacVey for his role in a lawsuit filed by the county that sought to compel his client – San Bernardino Associated Governments known as SANBAG – as well as Upland and the California Department of Transportation to reimburse the county for a corrupt $102 million settlement that its supervisors had paid to a developer.

“I’m honored and humbled by the Daily Journal’s recognition. The ruling and ensuing settlement in this case is helping to promote a path of reconciliation between San Bernardino County and its 25 cities and towns, which make up SANBAG,” said MacVey, a Riverside-based attorney.

MacVey noted that a group of attorneys at BB&K and the lawyers representing the other defendants worked as a team in bringing the case to a successful conclusion.

The case was recognized by The Daily Journal Corp., publisher of the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, in its annual list of the top 20 defense results, top 10 plaintiff’s verdicts by dollar, tops 10 plaintiff’s verdicts by impact and top 5 appellate reversals in a special supplement to today’s editions.

“This recognition is gratifying and a testament to the complex challenges created by the case, which brought together public policy and public corruption issues, land acquisition disputes, millions of pages of discovery and high-stakes litigation. The successful conclusion of the case shows the good work BB&K litigators do on behalf of our clients,” said Steve DeBaun, a Riverside-based attorney who serves as special counsel to SANBAG.

In the case, San Diego Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Prager on Feb. 5 granted a motion for summary adjudication sought by MacVey that tossed out the vast majority of lawsuit, in large part because of corruption involved. The parties later agreed to dismiss the lawsuit with no payment of money.

The ruling was part of a decade-long saga involving several civil lawsuits, millions of dollars of taxpayer funds and criminal charges against four former San Bernardino County officials and a Rancho Cucamonga developer.

The $102 million settlement at the heart of the case occurred in November 2006 when county supervisors paid that money to Colonies Partners of Rancho Cucamonga after four years of litigation over a dispute involving flood control easements on the developer's 434-acre Upland housing and commercial project. The county sued the other agencies, claiming they bore responsibility for the damages claimed by Colonies.

AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training (January 13)

13 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Joseph Ortiz presented the training from the Riverside office. All other BB&K offices participated in the training via state-of-the-art video conferencing. The video conference was interactive, allowing attendees to ask questions and participate in other ways.

What was covered:

What constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace
How to recognize and avoid it
What procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself
The potential consequences - including personal liability - of sexual harassment

Audience:

Supervisors
Human Resources Professionals
Public Officials
Managers & Private Business Professionals with 50 or More Employees

The training was also held via video conference at the following BB&K offices throughout California:

Indian wells
Irvine
Los Angeles
Ontario
Riverside – Joseph Ortiz presented from the Riverside office
Sacramento
San Diego
Walnut Creek

Public Finance Attorney Returns to Best Best & Krieger

31 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Dec. 31, 2013
Media Contact: Jennifer Bowles • 951.826.8480 • jennifer.bowles@BBKlaw.com

RIVERSIDE, Calif. _ Mrunal Mehta Shah recently returned to Best Best & Krieger LLP as an of counsel attorney in the public finance practice group.

Based in the law firm’s Riverside office, Shah represents cities, counties, school districts and special districts in bond transactions to finance public infrastructure such as schools, streets and water treatment plants.

In addition, she is working with other BB&K attorneys on the Western Riverside Council of Governments’ HERO Program, a public-private partnership between cities, counties and the private sector that helps property owners finance renewable energy and energy-efficient improvments to their homes and businesses. It is the nation’s largest Property Assessed Clean Energy financing program, known as PACE.

The WRCOG program has expanded to 13 counties across California, and recently received the prestigious California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award. BB&K attorneys serve as bond counsel to the WRCOG program as well as the San Bernardino Associated Governments HERO program, which was recently launched throughout San Bernardino County.

“We’re happy that Mrunal decided to come back to the firm; she’s an excellent lawyer and the firm and our clients will benefit greatly from her experience and expertise,” said John Rottschaefer, leader of the firm’s public finance practice group.

Shah first joined BB&K in 1998 as a law clerk and returned in 2002 as an attorney after receiving her law degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. She left BB&K in 2010 when her husband received an out-of-state fellowship.

“One of the main reasons I returned to BB&K is the great work environment,” Shah said. “All of the attorneys and staff work together congenially to make sure our clients’ needs are met promptly.”

Shah is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers. She speaks Spanish and Gujarati, a language native to parts of India.

BB&K Seminar: Statements of Economic Interests - Legal Requirements of Filing Officers & Officials

13 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This program addressed the statutory duties of public agency filing officers and officials regarding Form 700 Statements of Economic Interests (SEIs).

What was covered:

Legislative & Regulatory Changes
General Rules – What’s Your Role?
- Types of Public Officials – PRA vs. CIC
- Disclosure Requirements – Full vs. Limited
Guidelines – Notices, Fines & Waivers
SEI Reviews – Facial vs. Full
- What to Look For – Common Errors
SEI Records & Retention
Public Access – Two Days
Enforcement – Reporting Apparent Violations
What February 1 Deadline?

Audience:
City Clerks and Deputy City Clerks, Filing Officers and Filing Officials designated in agency conflict of interest codes; and assistant or backup personnel

Cost Per Person:
$75 for clients who participate in the Public Policy & Ethics program
$125 for non-participants in the Public Policy & Ethics program

BB&K Presenter:
Dianna Valdez, Senior Paralegal, Conflicts of Interest & Ethics Coordinator, Public Policy & Ethics Group

QUESTIONS:
Contact Katey Lamke if you have any questions about this event and/or about BB&K upcoming seminars/events.

If you are not currently receiving our Legal Alerts and would like to be added to our email distribution list, please visit our subscription page.

Four BB&K Attorneys Named by the Daily Journal Among Top 20 Municipal Lawyers In California

06 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Nov. 6, 2013
Media Contact: Jennifer Bowles • 951.826.8480 • jennifer.bowles@BBKlaw.com

LOS ANGELES _ The Daily Journal today named four attorneys at Best Best & Krieger LLP among California’s Top 20 municipal lawyers in 2013 for cases involving medical marijuana, water rights, redevelopment and corruption.

The state’s top legal newspaper recognized Jeffrey Dunn in Irvine for, among other things, successfully arguing before the California Supreme Court in a case involving Riverside that state law does not prevent cities and counties from regulating medical marijuana dispensaries; Eric Garner, BB&K managing partner based in Los Angeles and Riverside, for an appellate court victory involving Santa Maria and a large portion of California’s Central Coast that strengthened the right of cities and public agencies to use groundwater for people; T. Brent Hawkins in Sacramento for handling lawsuits for cities and counties challenging the state’s handling of post-redevelopment issues, including a case that resulted in a judge agreeing that Riverside should get nearly $19 million in loans originally taken out by the city’s redevelopment agency, and Kendall MacVey in Riverside for his role in a case that saved the San Bernardino Associated Governments from having to reimburse San Bernardino County for a $102 million settlement that is the target of a corruption probe.

Lawyers at BB&K, with nine offices in California and Washington, D.C., serve as city attorney to more than 30 cities across California and provide special counsel work to dozens more.

“The recognition by The Daily Journal of four BB&K attorneys is incredibly gratifying and an enormous honor for them and the firm. We are very proud of these attorneys for doing such great work for our clients,” said Jeff Ballinger, an Ontario-based attorney who leads the firm’s municipal law practice group.

The Daily Journal Corp., publisher of the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, issued its annual list of the state’s Top 20 municipal lawyers in a special supplement to today’s editions. According to The State Bar of California, there are more than 244,000 attorneys statewide.

BB&K Boosts Eminent Domain Practice with Three New Attorneys

17 Oct 2013 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Oct. 17, 2013
Media Contact: Jennifer Bowles • 951.826.8480 • jennifer.bowles@BBKlaw.com

RIVERSIDE, Calif._ Best Best & Krieger LLP recently hired three attorneys to join the eminent domain practice in offices across Southern California.

The eminent domain practice group focuses on helping cities, counties, special districts and school districts acquire property so they can build roads, water supply pipelines and other needed infrastructure.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming three new attorneys who bring a wealth of diverse experience into our practice,” said Mark Easter, who heads the practice from the Riverside office.

The new attorneys are:

_ Artin N. Shaverdian, who is based in the Los Angeles office. An of counsel attorney at BB&K, Shaverdian comes to the firm with nearly a decade of experience in eminent domain law. He has represented key public agencies in Southern California, including the Los Angeles Unified School District, various cities, redevelopment agencies and special districts in eminent domain/inverse condemnation cases.

Primarily a litigator, he represents public agencies, individuals and business owners. Shaverdian has been lead counsel on the acquisition of hundreds of parcels of real property for various projects, including mixed-use commercial and residential redevelopment projects, schools, grade separation and other public infrastructure projects. He has also represented multiple property and business owners in eminent domain and inverse condemnation matters across the California, recovering millions of dollars on their behalf.

Prior to joining BB&K, Shaverdian was a partner at a boutique eminent domain practice in Glendale, Calif. He received his law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles in 2002.

_ Gregory G Snarr, who is an associate in the Riverside office. He represents public agencies and private-sector clients in pre-litigation, real-property acquisitions as well as all stages of complex, commercial litigation in state and federal courts.

Primarily a litigator, Snarr’s eminent domain experience includes acquisitions of rights of way for major public improvement projects as well as valuation issues, water adjudications, and land use and zoning restrictions. Fluent in Spanish, Snarr received his law degree from Brigham Young University in Utah in 2009.

_Holly E. Cheong, an associate who joined the San Diego office and represents public agencies in eminent domain matters. Prior to joining BB&K, Cheong worked for Snell & Wilmer LLP in Las Vegas as a litigator handing commercial, civil and employment cases.

Cheong received her law degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2010. After law school, she served as a law clerk to Justice Kristina Pickering of the Nevada Supreme Court. Before turning to a legal career, Cheong received a master’s degree in city planning from San Diego State University in 2003, and worked as an environmental planner for the Southern Nevada Water Authority and as a biologist for the City of San Diego Planning Department.

Cheong volunteers as the social media administrator with the San Diego affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. She began volunteering for the network after a friend died from the disease and she discovered that the survival rates with people suffering from pancreatic cancer are extremely low.