Neal P. Maguire

California’s constantly-evolving legal landscape concerning its natural resources requires the expertise and litigation skills of a lawyer like Neal Maguire, managing partner of the firm.

Neal’s experience regarding the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and State and local land use laws is invaluable in representing project developers and public agencies in connection with some of the most complex projects in Ventura County and throughout Southern California.

Neal also employs his expertise in California water law to advise and advocate for property owners and public agencies, including in several groundwater adjudications (e.g., Antelope Valley, Ventura River Watershed, and the Las Posas Valley groundwater basins) and other litigation involving water resources.

Representative Experience

• Represented property owners in the development of the Olivas Park Specific Plan and the extension of Olivas Park Drive and associated levee in the City of Ventura.
• Advised private developers in acquiring land use entitlements for residential and mixed-use projects in and near downtown Ventura.
• Successfully litigation CEQA and other challenges to one of the largest mixed-use developments in Los Angeles. (Ballona Wetlands Land Trust v. City of Los Angeles (2011) 201 Cal. App. 4th 455; Environmentalism Through Inspiration And Non-Violent Action v. City Of Los Angeles (Cal. Ct. of Appeal, Second District, 2010.)
• Counseled Community Memorial Health System regarding the preparation of an environmental impact report for its expansion of its hospital in Ventura.
• Represented private water company in successful litigation upholding a public agency’s acquisition of the company. (SCOPE v. Castaic Lake Water Agency (2016) 1 Cal. App.5th 1084.)
• Successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal, Second District, in Central Basin Municipal Water District v. Water Replenishment District of Southern California (2012) 211 Cal.App.4th 943, which held that a public water agency is exempt from the provisions of CEQA when it acts pursuant to a water rights judgment.
• Neal also successfully represented the Water Replenishment District in Water Replenishment District of Southern California v. City of Cerritos (2013) 220 Cal.App.4th 1450, which held that a municipal water pumper must pay a water replenishment assessment while the pumper pursues a refund of the assessment under Proposition 218.
• Successfully represented the Autry National Center of the American West in litigation challenging, under CEQA and the Ralph M. Brown Act, the approval of the Autry Museum’s proposed renovation. (Highland Park Heritage Trust v. City of Los Angeles (Cal. Ct. of Appeal, Second District, 2014); Walnum v. City of Los Angeles (Cal. Ct. of Appeal, Second District, 2013).
• Represented a large commercial shopping center developer in connection with land use entitlements for several projects throughout Southern California.
• Represented the developer of a desalination facility in CEQA litigation and, after successfully handling the litigation in Orange County Superior Court, negotiated a settlement precluding an appeal.
• Processed land use entitlements throughout Southern California for a national wireless telecommunications company.