Monica Lawrence has more than 20 years of experience as a paralegal supporting Nossaman's Environment and Land Use Practice Group. She has significant and varied experience obtaining and defending local, state, and federal entitlements for public and private projects, including: coastal development permits, Endangered Species take permits, Clean Water Act certifications (401 Army Corps permits), General Plan Amendments, Project Development Agreements, CEQA/NEPA project approvals, and Redevelopment Area agreements.
She prepares records of administrative proceedings and assists with defending legal challenges to entitlements by drafting and reviewing court filings.
Ms. Lawrence regularly monitors developments in federal, state, and local land use regulations, statutes, and case law. She is a skilled researcher with experience using a wide range of electronic and government resources.
Ms. Lawrence also assists the Real Estate and Financial Services and Bankruptcy Practice Groups in conducting due diligence for public and private sector clients.
Representative Work
Los Angeles County Congestion Management Program. Assisted with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for use in updating the Congestion Management Program.
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency. Assisted throughout the entitlement process – toll corridor project; prepare Record of Administrative Proceedings in excess of 92,000 pages; assist with litigation through appeal process and successful resolution.
Foothill Transportation Corridor Agency. Assisted with the preparation of various environmental impact studies, prepared a Record of Administrative Proceedings regarding the final EIR certification; assisted with processing an appeal of the California Coastal Commission denial of a CZMA Consistency Application.
Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. Assisted throughout the entitlement process for a toll corridor project; prepared a Record of Administrative Proceedings in excess of 103,000 pages.
URS Corporation. Prepared a draft Record of Administrative Proceedings for use in anticipated legal challenges to the project approvals.
Contra-Costa Transportation Authority. Prepared a Record of Administrative Proceedings of a land use challenge from the City of Redwood City.
Resolution Trust Corporation. Assisted with due diligence research.
Citation Builders: Obtained Incidental Take Permit from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Bolsa Chica Wetlands: Assisted with land use litigation involving environmental impacts and project entitlements.