Susan Brandt-Hawley

Environmental Law

Historic Preservation

Advocacy to protect historic resources and cultural landscapes. Frequent lecturer and author on environmental and historic preservation law and practice.

Recognition among the Daily Journal's "Top Women Litigators" in 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011; Martindale-Hubbell A-V Preeminent rating; Faculty, California Judicial Education and Research annual courses on the California Environmental Quality Act from 1999 -present; Board of Advisors, National Trust for Historic Preservation 1998-2007; California Preservation Foundation's "Preservationist of the Year" 2004; California Lawyer Magazine's CLAY Award ("Lawyers of the Year") for Environmental Law 2002; Sierra Club Mother Lode Chapter's "Conservationist of the Year" 1998; Daily Journal profiles 1990 and 2000; President of the Sonoma County Bar Association 1992.

Representative opinions in over 25 published environmental cases include Friends of Sierra Madre v. City of Sierra Madre (2001) 25 Cal.4th 165 [requiring environmental review for ballot initiative affecting historic properties] and Sierra Club v. San Joaquin LAFCO (1999) 21 Cal.4th 489 [reversal overturning Alexander v. State Personnel Board (1943) 22 Cal.2d 198 re permissive rehearing/remedy exhaustion], at the California Supreme Court, and Flanders Foundation v. City of Carmel (2012) 202 Cal.App.4th 603 [requiring additional environmental review prior to sale of historic mansion in City park];Scottish Rite Cathedral Association v. City of Los Angeles (2007) 156 Cal.App.4th 108 [holding nuisance enforcement], Preservation Action Council v. City of San Jose (2006) 141 Cal.App.4th 1336 [protecting historic IBM Building 025], 108 Holdings v. City of Rohnert Park (2006) 136 Cal.App.4th 1062 [upholding environmental settlement re water supply standards], Lighthouse Field Beach Rescue v. City of Santa Cruz (2005) 131 Cal.App.4th 1170 [reversal protecting state beach], Bowman v. City of Berkeley (2005) 131 Cal.App.4th 173 [upholding private attorney general fees], Lincoln Place Tenants Association v. City of Los Angeles (2005) 130 Cal.App.4th 1491 [reversal enforcing mitigation measures for historic property], The Pocket Protectors v. City of Sacramento (2004) 124 Cal.Ap2p.4th 903 [reversal protecting urban aesthetics], Architectural Heritage Association v. County of Monterey (2004) 122 Cal.App.4th 1095 [reversal protecting Old Monterey Jail], Galante Vineyards v. Monterey Peninsula County Water Management District (1997) 57 Cal.App.4th 13 [averting construction of proposed New Los Padres Dam], League for Protection of Oakland’s Architectural etc. Resources v. City of Oakland (1997) 52 Cal.App.4th 896 [reversal protecting non-listed historic resource], Stanislaus Natural Heritage Project v. County of Stanislaus (1996) 48 Cal.App.4th 182 [reversal requiring study of water supply], and Sierra Club v. County of Sonoma (1992) 6 Cal.App.4th 1307 [upholding need for environmental review of Russian River gravel mining], at the California Court of Appeal.