Best Lawyers in America for Land Use and Zoning Law
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State
A highly experienced land use, zoning and litigation attorney, Elizabeth Noonan specializes in representing national and local developers of commercial and residential properties in all phases of development at the federal, state and local level. Her expertise in municipal affairs and government relations makes her a powerful leader of any development team. Success in any development is the paramount goal which occasionally requires litigation to secure a client’s rights. Beth has succe...
Calm under pressure, dependable, and a true advocate for her clients, Mary is an experienced municipal and environmental law counselor. Having worked in the public sector for years before joining Bernstein Shur, she has a firsthand understanding of the issues faced by municipal and state employees and boards—and how to help her clients confront them. Her most recent public sector position was associate corporation counsel to the City of Portland, where she advised the city staff and cou...
Steven Robins is a land use attorney at Lerch, Early & Brewer in Bethesda, Maryland who represents prominent national and regional developers, contractors, lenders and commercial property owners and has been involved in many high-visibility projects in Montgomery County. Steve advises clients on complex zoning map and text amendments, optional method of development applications, master plan amendments, comprehensive land use planning and zoning analyses, special exception and variance app...
Robert Harris is a real estate and land use attorney at Lerch, Early & Brewer in Bethesda, Maryland. He helps landowners strategically improve the use and value of their real estate. His practice includes zoning, land use, real estate and municipal affairs. He represents commercial and residential landowners before planning commissions, courts, governmental agencies and elected officials in connection with obtaining development approvals and in the protection of land use rights in Montgom...
William W. Merrill, III is a shareholder at Icard Merrill. His nationally recognized practice in land use, planning, transportation and environmental law includes representation of both developers and public sector clients. He has received the "AV" rating, the highest rating available, from Martindale-Hubbell, which is recognized as the most respected source of authoritative and dependable information about members of the legal community and reflects confidential ratings by other lawyers and ...
Matthew W. Fellerhoff is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law and Land Use and Zoning Law. Matthew W., who practices law in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Stephen Tilbrook has more than 25 years of experience practicing land use and environmental law, and he focuses his practice on complex land use, development, and environmental matters throughout the state of Florida. He represents property owners, expanding businesses, developers, financial institutions, and institutional clients, including hospitals, universities, regional shopping centers, and real estate investment trusts. He specializes in addressing the land use and environmental challe...
Steve Lim is an Of Counsel in the firm's Honolulu. He has over twenty years experience on the Big Island, Maui, Kauai, and Oahu in all phases of the real property development process. Mr. Lim concentrates in advising clients on real property due diligence reviews, land use entitlements and administrative issues, including litigation of land use and real property disputes. In 2014, The Best Lawyers in America selected Mr. Lim as Lawyer of the Year (Hawai‘i)—Real Estate Law (Land Us...
Kari represents clients in the area of municipal and land use litigation, general commercial and creditor’s rights litigation and probate litigation. Kari regularly represents municipalities, businesses and individuals in all phases of local land-use approval and litigation. Her land use practice encompasses property boundary disputes, zoning, planning, subdivisions, inland wetlands and water pollution control authorities. She frequently has represented planning and zoning commissions a...
Shareholder Certified Specialist in Real Estate Law, Arizona Board of Legal Specialization Ed, who has practiced law for 45 years, is a peer review rated AV® Preeminent attorney who has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America every year since 2003 and was named the 2014 Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" Phoenix in Land Use and Zoning Law. Ed has been selected by Super Lawyers of the Southwest every year since its inception in 2007, Arizona’s Finest Lawyers from 2008-2025, Chamber...
Talbott Ottinger is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Finance Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Talbott, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Talbott is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.