Deborah M. Rosenthal

Deborah M. Rosenthal, AICP, is a partner in the Real Estate, Land Use and Natural Resources and Environmental Practice Group in the firm's Orange County Office.

Areas of Practice

Ms. Rosenthal devotes her practice to land use and environmental law and litigation.  She works extensively with land use and environmental issues in California, including wetlands, endangered species, takings, historic preservation, mitigation banking and hazardous materials.  Deborah has also been involved in a variety of complex federal- and state-coordinated environmental permitting programs for large private developments, including the negotiation of development agreements and preparation of development plans.

A major portion of her practice is devoted to CEQA, inverse condemnation and general plan litigation in connection with land use entitlements for large residential real estate developers.  She represents clients in complex land use, civil rights and antitrust litigation in Illinois, New Jersey, Florida, Kentucky, Indiana and California.

Immediately before admission to the California bar, Deborah served as Executive Director of the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois.  In this capacity, she was responsible for supervising statewide preservation-advocacy programs.  Prior to attending Yale Law School, Deborah acted as a special consultant to the National Trust for Historic Preservation on selected planning issues in Oklahoma and provided special media services to the Oklahoma Humanities Council and the Oklahoma Council for the Social Studies.

Education

• J.D., Yale Law School, 1981
• M.A., Master of Regional Planning, University of Oklahoma, 1978
• B.A., University of Michigan, 1972

Admissions

• California
• Illinois
• USDC, Central District of California
• California Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• Supreme Court of Illinois
• USDC, Northern District of Illinois

Representative Matters

• CEQA litigation — Acted as special counsel in CEQA litigation involving reuse of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro as a civilian airport
• City of Costa Mesa and Orange County — Managed contracts with the City of Costa Mesa to act as special environmental counsel in connection with adoption of General Plan revisions and with Orange County to prepare 19 development agreements covering more than 60,000 dwelling units
• Cities of Chicago and Claremont — Drafted land use and planning regulations, Illinois preservation legislation and amendments to both the City of Claremont Historic Preservation Ordinance and the City of Chicago Landmarks Ordinance

Honors

• Jerusalem Leadership Award from the Jewish Federation of Orange County
• President’s Individual Community Service Award for Outstanding Service from the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce
• California Preservation Foundation Service Award
• Southern California Super Lawyers (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)

Memberships

• Member, American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
• Member, Amicus Curiae Committee, American Planning Association
• Member, Lambda Alpha International, Orange County Chapter
• Former board member, Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County
• Former board member, Hillel Foundation
• Former chair, Planning and Law Division, American Planning Association
• Former board member, Jewish Federation of Orange County
• Past president, Jewish Family Service of Orange County
• Past trustee, California Preservation Foundation
• Founding director, Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation
• Past board member, Jamboree Housing Corporation

Articles

• Sheppard Mullin Expands Its Land-Use Team, Los Angeles Daily Journal, February 4, 2008

Speeches

• Deborah has spoken on land use law before the UCLA Public Policy Program, American Planning Association, Zoning Institute, California Preservation Foundation, American Bar Association, California Judicial Conference on Land Use Planning and Regulation and many other professional and civic groups across the country.