Best Lawyers in America for Land Use and Zoning Law
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Partner Tom Robertson is deeply experienced in many facets of land use and environmental litigation, having served as an attorney with the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s office for 30 years. While there, he practiced in the areas of Environmental Law, Zoning, Real Estate Finance and Liens, Personal Injury, Contracts, and general governmental law. In each of these areas, he was active in litigation including many jury and non-jury trials. He was the general counsel to the Solid Waste Depar...
Diane Calta is a key member of the firm’s civil litigation and real estate and land use practice groups, bringing over 25 years of legal experience in municipal law, economic development, litigation, real estate, eminent domain, and probate and estate planning. She currently serves as Director of Law for Mayfield Village and as special legal counsel for the City of Independence. Her previous roles include serving as Director of Law for the cities of Beachwood and Green. Diane has also h...
Mr. Diebenow is a partner at the firm. His primary focus is real estate, land use, zoning, and government law. As a registered lobbyist across a wide range of issues, Mr. Diebenow represents individuals, corporations, landowners and developers to secure business and development incentives as well as entitlements including land use, zoning, concurrency and mobility fee approvals. He also provides legal counsel in real estate transactions including the acquisition, entitlement, financing, and d...
Jared Lusk is a partner in our Real Estate practice group and the Managing Partner for the Rochester office of the firm. The primary focus of his practice is real estate development and municipal law, including planning and zoning. What do you focus on? Land Use/Development I enjoy representing a wide variety of landowners, developers, municipalities, retailers, public utilities, wind and other energy producers throughout New York State. Having formerly served as town attorney managing land u...
Bob’s practice is devoted to providing support in the redevelopment and revitalization of communities throughout New Jersey. As co-Chair of the firm’s redevelopment practice, he brings decades of hands-on experience to the representation of private and public sector clients in countless redevelopment projects, including those related to downtown and urban revitalization efforts, transit-oriented development, sustainable building initiatives, special improvement districts (SIDs), a...
Rodd H. Yano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Rodd H., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Rodd H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Melissa Tapanes Llahues is a nationally recognized land use and zoning attorney, strategic advisor, and civic leader shaping the built environment across South Florida. As a shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes, PLLC, she operates at the intersection of law, policy, and urban strategy—guiding complex development projects from vision to entitlement to realization. Melissa represents institutional investors, landowners, and developers in ...
Carolyn W. Kone is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law. Carolyn W., who practices law in New Haven, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carolyn W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Michael has an active land use and zoning practice in Miami-Dade County, with a broad specialization in Miami Beach, where he frequently appears in front of the City Commission, Historic Preservation Board, Design Review Board, the Board of Adjustment, and the Planning Board. Michael also does work in Bay Harbour, Sunny Isles, Key Biscayne, Aventura and Bal Harbour. Additionally, his practice extends to appellate litigation matters before the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s Appellate Divisi...
Amanda J. Monchamp is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and Litigation - Environmental. Amanda J., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amanda J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joseph A. Stewart is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Government Contracts, Land Use and Zoning Law and Litigation - Land Use and Zoning. Joseph A., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Steve is a leader of the firm’s redevelopment and land use practice. He guides clients, including developers, property owners and municipalities, through the intricate regulatory landscape of New Jersey’s redevelopment process. From initial project concept to final construction, he offers the strategic oversight necessary to obtain project approvals and maximize project viability across the state’s real estate sector, providing support on mixed use, residential, industrial, ...
Joseph A. Fitzpatrick, Jr. is a founding member and shareholder of the Firm and is recognized as one of Eastern Pennsylvania’s premier land use and development attorneys. In addition to land use and development, Mr. Fitzpatrick’s practice includes real estate, zoning and subdivision, commercial transactions, and general business representation. He has led clients’ development teams in advancing major commercial, industrial and residential projects including large regional co...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.