Overview
Lucas Grunbaum is an associate in the in the firm’s San Francisco office and a member of the firm’s Environmental Practice Group. His practice focuses on complex regulatory and litigation matters involving land use, natural resources, renewable energy, air and water quality, infrastructure development and more. He has significant experience in regulatory counseling and transactional matters, as well as state and federal litigation.
Mr. Grunbaum routinely advises clients on the development of large-scale infrastructure, renewable energy, housing and mixed-use projects, with a particular emphasis on distressed or uniquely challenging projects. He also counsels clients on environmental and land use matters involving high-value transactions across the country, including for energy and industrial projects and real estate portfolios. Mr. Grunbaum is a trusted advisor to public entities and private developers in their efforts to establish or navigate cutting edge regulatory schemes involving renewable energy, desalination, cannabis licensing, wildlife management, and more.
In addition to regulatory and transactional counseling, Mr. Grunbaum has significant litigation experience, having served as the lead associate on state and federal litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act, Freedom of Information Act, California Environmental Quality Act, and various mandamus proceedings under state law. Among other environmental laws, Mr. Grunbaum has deep knowledge of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Coastal Act, the Porter-Cologne Act, and the Clean Air Act. Drawing on that knowledge, he has helped clients obtain important regulatory approvals, navigate complex entitlement processes, and defend against enforcement actions.
Mr. Grunbaum received his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 2016. While at UCLA Law, Mr. Grunbaum served as Editor-in-Chief of the UCLA Journal of Environmental Law and Policy. Before attending law school, Mr. Grunbaum received his M.A. in Environmental Studies and B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.
Education
- UCLA School of Law, J.D., 2016
- University of Southern California, M.A., 2012
- University of Southern California, B.S., 2011
Representations
- Advise client in the development of the world’s largest battery-energy storage system (BESS).
- Advise client on environmental and regulatory matters concerning the acquisition of a portfolio of real estate assets valued at over $500 million.
- Advise client regarding the development of multiple residential and mixed-use projects.
- Advise client in connection with obtaining development approvals from the California Energy Commission and Bureau of Land Management for a 300 MW renewable energy project with associated battery storage.
- Advise client in connection with development of 800 MW renewable energy project with associated battery storage.
- Advise client in establishing a statewide wildlife damage management program to promote California’s agricultural industry.
- Advise client in standing up a novel forest management and forest products manufacturing project.
- Advise client regarding the decommissioning and removal of transoceanic cables.
- Defend client in challenge to the largest habitat conservation plan (HCP) in the country, covering more than 4 million acres of private lands.
- Defend client in lawsuit challenging development of utility-scale desalination facility.
- Defend timber company in multiple lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act.
- Defend one of the largest landowners in the United States in connection with lawsuits challenging timber harvesting activities.
- Represent developer in connection with new, net-zero sustainable town.
- Represent federally recognized Indian tribe in high-profile litigation concerning proposed casino development and challenge to validity of the California Governor’s concurrence for the project.
- Defend public company in $17 million government enforcement action for alleged violations of federal and state laws concerning alleged water pollution.
Involvement
- San Francisco Bar Association