Paul Hastings Adds Preeminent 5-Partner Real Estate Team in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – In a move that brings together one of the most highly regarded land use teams in California and Paul Hastings’ elite real estate group, the firm has further solidified its powerhouse platform with the addition of partners DJ Moore, Beth Gordie, Winston Stromberg, Benjamin Hanelin and Lauren Paull in Los Angeles.

The team joins from Latham & Watkins, uniting two top-ranked Chambers practices. They have extensive experience advising landowners, developers, project sponsors, institutions and utilities throughout California on securing the full range of local, regional, state and federal approvals necessary to permit and construct development and infrastructure projects, as well as compliance with all associated environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, California Environmental Quality Act, California Coastal Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and many others.

“The real estate sector and California continue to be strategic priorities for the firm, and the team brings an extensive track record of success in high-stakes real estate matters across the state,” said firm Chair Frank Lopez. “They are another fantastic addition to our preeminent real estate platform, further strengthening our ability to provide our clients with premier support on their most complex matters involving real estate zoning and environmental matters and more broadly.”

Moore’s practice focuses on helping clients obtain and defend land use entitlement and environmental approvals from government agencies for major infrastructure, energy and development projects. He provides advice and litigates claims regarding planning and zoning regulations and related regulatory matters, as well as state and federal land use and environmental laws. He has handled numerous complex matters before the California Coastal Commission, including securing approvals for multiple seawater desalination facilities along the California Coast. He also has helped clients obtain and defend approvals for numerous high-stakes projects across the development spectrum, including major stadium and entertainment complexes, urban skyscrapers, power plants, hotels and resorts, medical campuses and oil processing and transmission facilities.

Gordie focuses on advising landowners and developers through all stages of the entitlement and development process, providing counsel to clients on local planning and zoning regulations, complex regulatory frameworks, government approvals and related environmental matters. She represents clients on a variety of real estate and infrastructure projects, including stadiums, entertainment complexes, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, campus master plans, hotels and mixed-use and multifamily developments on all aspects of project development, from initial permitting and entitlement strategy through governmental approvals, incorporating legal, political, community and public relations issues.

Stromberg advises major energy, infrastructure and real estate project developers on land use entitlements, environmental approvals and administrative hearings, with a principal focus on litigation arising out of such processes. He has represented clients across various industries on a broad spectrum of projects, including desalination facilities, energy projects, logistics/warehouse facilities, film/TV studios and theme parks, hospitals, data centers and mixed-use residential projects. He has first chaired dozens of high-stakes matters in trial and appellate courts.

A former judicial clerk in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of California, Hanelin has worked on some of the largest development projects in Southern California over the last 20 years. With a focus on major infrastructure projects, logistics facilities, data center, film and television developments and California Environmental Quality Act litigation, he guides developers and institutions on state, federal and local planning and zoning regulations and defends any litigation that follows.

Paull advises landowners and developers through all stages of the entitlement and development process, counseling clients on planning and zoning regulations, approvals and related environmental matters. She has extensive experience working on large, complex development projects that incorporate legal, political, community and public relations issues. Her representations include major sports and entertainment complexes, desalination facilities, energy projects, school master plans, hotels and mixed-use residential developments and projects with significant signage. 

Collectively, the team’s clients have included Anderson Real Estate, Bel-Air Bay Club, California American Water Company, California Charter Schools Association, City of Hope National Medical Center, Digital Realty Trust, Equity Lifestyle Properties, Hyatt, Faring, JMB Realty, Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit, Marriott International, McCourt Partners, NBCUniversal, The J. Paul Getty Trust, Pebble Beach Company, Poseidon Water, Preston Hollow Community Capital, Providence, Sable Offshore Corp., Tribune Real Estate/Nexstar, Wilshire Gayley and Westfield Corporation.

“Paul Hastings’ Real Estate practice has had undeniable momentum and has differentiated itself as a premier, full-service offering at the top of the market,” said Moore. “We’re incredibly excited to continue our work together at Paul Hastings while offering our clients unparalleled service to meet all of their needs with some of the most impressive talent in the industry.”

 

About Paul Hastings

With widely recognized elite teams across 17 practices, Paul Hastings is a premier law firm with a culture of excellence focused on providing intellectual capital and superior execution globally to the world’s leading investment banks, asset managers and corporations.