TOP REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT LAWYERS 2025
NANCY A. PARK BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP SACRAMENTO N ancy Park has spent her career at the intersection of law and development, where legal expertise meets physical transformation. As the leader of Best Best & Krieger’s Business practice group since 2020, she brings a unique perspective shaped by roles as CEO, banker, investment officer and attorney. “Being able to influence the built environment has always been exciting,” Park said. “I love seeing the projects I work on take physical shape.” Park’s real estate practice spans the full spectrum of transactions, from leasing and acquisitions to finance and development. Her client roster reflects this breadth, representing entities ranging from small businesses and institutional investors to banks, developers, farmers, hospitals, cities and universities. Her work encompasses office, industrial, retail, mixed-use and ground leases, along with joint ventures and property tax exemptions. Park also handles corporate formation, creating partnerships and limited liability companies while serving as general counsel for various entities. This dual focus allows her to address both the real estate and business structure needs of her clients. Park’s recent transactions demonstrate the complexity of modern real estate deals. She recently helped a city acquire a 40-acre landmark open space parcel that will create a central park for the community. The property, an old freeway right- of-way that was never built by the state, required coordination among four agencies and more than a year of negotiation, though the project had been in development for a decade. Another deal involved a complicated refinancing across multiple properties in two states, combined with estate disposition. Park is also assisting a public client in acquisition mode, helping assemble multiple properties along a commercial strip to provide new public amenities, involving five purchases or ground leases over the past year. These complex transactions often require extensive client education. “Helping the opposing counsel and/or their clients understand the acquiring parties’ concerns and educating regarding unique issues has been the biggest challenge on these deals,” Park explained. “Ultimately, in most cases we were able to prevail or reach a fair compromise by continual patient education of the critical issues
KATHERINE PHILIPPAKIS FARELLA BRAUN + MARTEL LLP SAN FRANCISCO K atherine Philippakis has built her legal practice around one of California’s most volatile industries. As a wine industry attorney, she navigates the complex intersection of land use, real estate and corporate law that defines the state’s vineyard and winery sector. “The wine business is one of the most enticing and exciting of California industries, and it’s the focus of my practice,” Philippakis said. Her work spans the full spectrum of wine industry operations, from property acquisitions to daily operational advice for wineries across California and beyond. Philippakis describes herself as “a grape-to- glass wine practitioner,” helping clients buy, sell, develop and operate luxury winery and vineyard properties. Her expertise extends beyond wine to include obtaining use permits and entitlements for agriculture, renewable energy, hospitality, commercial, industrial, and luxury residential projects. The complexity of wine industry transactions often surprises even experienced practitioners. Philippakis recalls one particularly challenging deal involving a two-acre parcel near St. Helena in Arizona that required intricate financial structuring due to the seller’s tax obligations. “Even though it was a vacant residential parcel, the deal required the most complicated set of escrow instructions I’ve ever had to draft -- and 23 closing documents,” she said. The transaction involved a lot line adjustment and required careful coordination to ensure tax payments while protecting her client’s interests. Despite recent challenges facing California’s wine industry, Philippakis maintains an optimistic outlook. The sector has weathered economic downturns before, and she believes current market conditions may signal an approaching recovery. “The wine industry has been going through a down cycle, and there has been a lot of negative press, suggesting that California’s wineries are doomed,” Philippakis said. However, her experience observing multiple economic cycles informs her perspective. Recent market activity supports her optimism. Well- established buyers with strong financial positions have begun exploring vineyard acquisitions again, suggesting confidence in the market’s future direction. “Personally, I feel we’re nearing the bottom of the
RYAN J. PATTERSON PATTERSON & O’NEILL, PC SAN FRANCISCO & LOS ANGELES R yan Patterson operates at the intersection of California’s housing shortage and the legal battles that emerge from it. As managing partner of Patterson & O’Neill, PC, he has spent 14 years representing developers, property owners and housing advocacy groups in disputes against cities throughout the state. Patterson began his career in San Francisco during the peak of California’s housing crisis. “I started my legal career about 14 years ago in San Francisco – at the epicenter of California’s housing crisis,” Patterson said. “Seeing the effects of the state’s generational housing shortage firsthand, I devoted my practice to land use, state housing law and CEQA.” His practice coincided with the emergence of the Yes in My Back Yard (YIMBY) movement, which advocates for increased housing development. Patterson now serves as general counsel for YIMBY Law and YIMBY Action, representing the organizations across 25 states. He has litigated against numerous California cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Sausalito and others, as well as the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Recent victories demonstrate Patterson’s approach to California’s housing laws. His firm won three consecutive trials against Los Angeles over the city’s refusal to process affordable housing applications. The cases involved the city’s backtracking on streamlined processing when single-family neighborhoods opposed apartment developments. “Los Angeles implemented streamlined processing of affordable apartment projects throughout the city – but then backtracked when affluent single- family neighborhoods balked at the prospect of apartments in their communities,” Patterson said. The firm recovered attorney fees in two cases and expects to argue the third fee motion this month. In another case, Patterson represented a developer in a trial involving multiple housing laws, including the Housing Accountability Act and Density Bonus Law. Jha v. City of Los Angeles, 23STCP03499 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Sept. 21, 2023). The case involved the “Builder’s Remedy,” a provision allowing developers to bypass local zoning when cities fail to meet housing obligations. After winning the trial, Patterson obtained a $7.4 million attorney fee award and appeal bond order.
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PAGE 20 | DAILY JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT | JUNE 18, 2025
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