Environmental Law Land Use and Zoning Law Real Estate Law
Diane C. De Felice
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Skillfully navigates complex and controversial development and infrastructure projects. More than 25 years of experience helping clients accomplish their land use, environmental law and litigation goals. Significant experience in CEQA matters.
Diane offers her clients—developers, investors, cities and other private sector clients—land use and environmental law counsel, as well as proven litigation skills. With a deep understanding of public agency administrative processes, she streamlines complex environmental issues entwined with land use and planning matters so clients’ projects are able to break ground. Diane possesses industry-leading experience with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Subdivision Map Act as well as the Coastal Act.
Large, complex and fast-moving matters with tight timelines are her passion. Clients seek out Diane for her strategic approach that balances development economics and legal issues to expedite projects and quell opposition. Whether consulting with public entities to help get a project built or defending one when challenged in court, she gets results. Her ongoing role as lead counsel for Cadiz Valley Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project, where she was responsible for obtaining and successfully defending six lawsuit challenges to the project’s entitlements, is a testament to her ability to deliver successful outcomes in long-ranging high profile infrastructure development work.
Diane’s commitment to excellence extends into the community. She provides pro bono land use counsel to Wolf Connection and also acts as a pro bono liaison for the firm’s California offices.
Overview
- Pepperdine University, J.D., graduated 1990
- University of California Berkeley, B.A., graduated 1984
- California, 1990
- California Building Industry Association - Legal Action Committee
- Huntington's Disease Society of America, Los Angeles Chapter - Board of Directors
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- California, 1990
- California Building Industry Association - Legal Action Committee
- Huntington's Disease Society of America, Los Angeles Chapter - Board of Directors
- Pepperdine University, J.D., graduated 1990
- University of California Berkeley, B.A., graduated 1984
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Environmental Law
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Real Estate Law
Awards:
- Southern California Super Lawyers, Environmental 2018-2019
- California Super Lawyers, 2016
- Best Lawyers in America, 2023
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- Golden State Water Company
Successfully represented Golden State Water Company (GSWC) before the honorable Amy Hogue resulting in the Los Angeles Superior Court upholding a longstanding interpretation of the Orange County Water District Act. The court held that recycled water produced within the geographical boundaries of the Santa Ana River watershed does not constitute a “supplemental source” for purposes of calculating the Basin Production Percentage, which is used to determine how much groundwater a producer may pump from the groundwater basin without paying the surcharge, or Basin Equity Assessment. The ruling holds significant implications for the nineteen groundwater producers including 13 cities, an investor owned water utility and five retail water districts that share and pump groundwater from the Orange County Groundwater Basin.
- City of Long Beach
Successfully defended action challenging the City of Long Beach's major clean air initiatives based on alleged violation of the Open Meeting Law, alleged improper delegation of police powers and alleged violations of the CEQA
- CEQA Challenge to Spring Water Agreement
Successfully defended CEQA challenge to Spring Water agreement in trial and appellate courts. Provided NEPA, CEQA and land use compliance advice for project development including construction of bottling facility and construction of pipelines in federal forest land
- CEQA Challenge to Warehouse
Successfully defended CEQA challenge to 800,000 square foot warehouse/distribution center, in state and appellate courts. Provided land use and CEQA compliance advice for expansion facility
Transactions
- Water Supply Assessment and EIR for 1,500 acres property
On behalf of a national homebuilder, Brownstein obtained approval of the Water Supply Assessment, final Environmental Impact Report, General Plan Amendments and Specific Plan for development of a 1,500 acre-property in Southern California proposed to include 5,400 residential units and commercial uses, as well as defending subsequent challenges including CEQA
- Land Use and CEQA Counsel
Land use and CEQA counsel for a 5,000 single-family residential and mixed use project in Inland Empire
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