Attorneys
William Parkin
William Parkin is a partner in the firm. Mr. Parkin has extensive experience in land use and environmental litigation, and advising and representing government agencies. He litigates cases under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Coastal Act, the Subdivision Map Act, planning and zoning laws, the Brown Act, and the Public Records Act. He represents clients in hearings before state and local government bodies and appears before the Superior Courts and Appellate Courts of California. He has also appeared before the California Supreme Court.
His transactional experience on behalf of private clients and government agencies includes drafting and reviewing conservation easements to protect land from development, and real estate transactions involving the preservation of open space. He regularly drafts and reviews contracts, and advises agencies on general legal issues such as policy development and personnel matters.
Prior to co-founding the firm, Mr. Parkin practiced land use and environmental law on behalf of nonprofit and community groups and was the author of several regulatory information and compliance guides on RCRA, CERCLA, FIFRA, TSCA, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, asbestos laws, and state equivalents for California, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.
Mr. Parkin graduated from Drew University, in Madison, NJ, in 1985 with a degree in Biology. He received his J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law in December 1987.
Jonathan Wittwer – retired
Jonathan Wittwer, a partner at the firm, graduated with a degree in Mathematics from the University of Southern California and received his J.D. from the University of San Francisco, School of Law in 1973. Before co-founding the firm, he operated his law practice (1996 – 1999). Between 1975 and 1996 he was employed at the Santa Cruz County Counsel’s office, where he was Chief Deputy County Counsel from 1984 to 1996. Mr. Wittwer has extensive legal experience in environmental, land use, and real estate litigation matters. He also serves as General Counsel to government agency clients, advising them on a host of legal issues from Brown Act and Public Records Act compliance, to planning, personnel, and contract matters.