Barbara J. Schussman

Barbara J. Schussman


Perkins Coie LLP

Recognized since 2010

San Francisco, California

Practice Areas

Environmental Law

Land Use and Zoning Law

Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Land Use and Zoning Law
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Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Land Use and Zoning Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Land Use and Zoning Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
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Barbara Schussman, a partner in the firm's Environment, Energy & Resources practice, focuses on securing federal, state and local agency approvals needed to develop a wide range of private and public projects, including industrial scale solar facilities, university campuses, hospitals, research and development facilities, water supply and storage projects, oil refineries, maritime port and airport expansions, and numerous industrial, commercial, housing and mixed use developments. Barbara counsels clients regarding compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), legislative and quasi-adjudicatory approvals required under the California Planning and Zoning Law, and permits and approvals required by other land use and environmental regulations, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, federal and state Endangered Species Acts, California Coastal Act and the Subdivision Map Act. She also is an experienced litigator, and has defended approvals and environmental permits in both the state and federal courts, including the California Supreme Court.

Barbara advises and represents private developers and local agencies processing environmental impact reports and studies, negative declarations, environmental assessments, requests for annexation, general plan amendments, specific plans, rezoning applications, use permits, development agreements, subdivisions, initiatives, referenda, and other approvals. She has appeared before numerous boards, city councils, and other public agencies and practices in both the trial courts and courts of appeal.

She is the author of the CEQA chapter of Curtin’s California Land Use and Planning Law. She also teaches and lectures on CEQA and NEPA compliance and litigation issues for a variety of organizations. Barbara co-chairs a two-day NEPA conference for CLE International presented annually in California. Her recent presentations and papers include an analysis of judicial decisions and regulatory requirements pertaining to climate change effects under NEPA. Barbara’s recent engagements include representing Renewable Resources Group in CEQA compliance and securing use permits for a 650 MW photovoltaic solar facility, representing Stanford University, Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in securing land use approvals for major campus and hospital expansion projects in Santa Clara County and Redwood City; representing the Port of Stockton as special counsel in litigation challenging the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for reuse of a 1,500-acre former Navy facility as expanded port maritime and industrial facilities; representing Eagle Marine Services in securing approvals for expansion of its shipping terminal at the Port of Los Angeles; and representing Contra Costa Water District in expansion of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir.

Location
  • 505 Howard Street, Suite 1000
    San Francisco, CA 94105-3204
Education
  • University of California Berkeley, J.D., graduated 1989
Bar Admissions
  • California, The State Bar of California
Affiliations
  • Contra Costa County Bar Association - Member

Perkins Coie LLP
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington

270 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

286 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

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Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Land Use and Zoning Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Land Use and Zoning Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Litigation - Land Use and Zoning Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Land Use and Zoning Law, San Francisco (2024)
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, San Francisco (2023)
  • Land Use and Zoning Law, San Francisco (2021)
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, San Francisco (2018)
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, San Francisco (2013)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for work in:
  • Environmental Law
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Awards:
  • Listed in Legal 500, as a "Leading Lawyer, Environment: Transaction and Regulatory," 2011
  • Listed in Super Lawyers, Northern California, 2004 - 2013
  • Ranked by Chambers USA as "America's Leading Environment Lawyers" and "America's Leading Real Estate Lawyers," 2013 - present

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Publications

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