Jerold B. Neuman

Mr. Neuman is a partner in the Real Estate and Land Use and Natural Resources Practice Group in the firm's Los Angeles office.

Areas of Practice

Mr. Neuman is considered to be one of the preeminent land-use, environmental and government law attorneys in Los Angeles as evidenced by his 2009 recognition as the leading lawyer and 1st tier placement for California (Southern) Land Use & Zoning practice for Legal 500. In 2006, he was also selected as the Real Estate Lawyer of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal. He has experience in governmental, land use, real estate, environmental, administrative, and public finance law.

The services Jerry provides range from managing the entire entitlement process, including overseeing technical consultants and presiding as primary negotiator with governmental agencies, to reviewing previously negotiated entitlement documentation with a view towards identifying problem areas which may affect the timing of the project's development. He has provided these services to a number of the nation's largest developers and corporations.

Jerry also has extensive experience in all aspects of compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). He works closely with consultants, clients and lead agencies to ensure adequacy of their EIRs, negative declarations, addendums, exemptions, and more, and defending the resulting CEQA document against challenge by project opponents.  Jerry has successfully represented clients in obtaining federal and state permits from, among other agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG), the Air Pollution Control District (APCD) and the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). 

Jerry is and has been the lead negotiator and project coordinator for many of Southern California's most important real estate, green energy, infrastructure, and governmental procurement projects, including the Millennium Partners', Capitol Records proposed 1.2 million square foot development, the multi-module retail/entertainment center at Hollywood and Highland, the Walt Disney Company's Grand Central Terminal Corporate Campus, the 110 acre Burbank Empire Center, the Airbus A380 airport readiness program, Scottish Powers renewable energy placement efforts, and the multi-modal transit facility at Del Mar Station. As part of his "value-add" approach, Mr. Neuman recognizes the need to find ways of both expediting the process and obtaining governmental assistance to enhance projects; as such, he has been a key player in negotiating incentive packages with government agencies who are seeking to increase their business community and related work force.

Jerry is currently appointed to the State of California's Economic Strategy Panel in which he currently holds the longest standing seat and was selected by Mayor Villaraigosa to the Mixed-Income Housing Technical Advisory Committee for the City of Los Angeles and he is also a founding director of Mission Valley Bank and is on the Executive Boards of many of Los Angeles' most important Civic and Charitable Organizations.  

Education

• J.D., Columbia University School of Law, 1987
• B.S., University of Arizona, 1984, with honors

Admissions

• California

Honors

• Legal 500, 2010

Articles

• Sheppard Mullin Continues to Grow its Real Estate Practice, California Real Estate Journal, November 23, 2009