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Damon P. Mamalakis
Partner
Damon Mamalakis practices in all areas of land use and environmental law, focusing on all manners of real estate developments, land use entitlements, and environmental litigation. Damon’s practice encompasses a wide range of land use and environmental law, including local planning and zoning regulations and related environmental matters; State land use regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the California Coastal Act; the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Clean Air Act and regional air quality regulations; Clean Water Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); and Proposition 65 (the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act). Damon has extensive experience working with local jurisdictions and state, regional, and federal agencies to secure regulatory approvals.
Damon has worked on a variety of major development projects across California, including the Hollywood Bowl Renovation, Playa Vista (Phase 1 and the Village), Lytle Creek Ranch Specific Plan, World Oil Bakersfield Commons, San Diego Gas & Electric’s Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Line, Southern California Edison’s Mandalay Peaker Plant, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Costco projects statewide, the Douglas Emmett Landmark residential project, PG&E’s Diablo Nuclear Power Plant and the Woodridge Northlake mixed use development project. He has extensive experience with controversial projects.
Damon also has significant courtroom experience in state and federal trial and appellate courts. His expertise includes CEQA writ trials, citizen suits, CERCLA clean-up and cost-recovery actions, Proposition 65 disputes, an eight-week eminent domain jury trial, and NEPA actions. Damon’s day-to-day litigation practice focuses on land use disputes, typically involving CEQA.
Damon advises clients and litigates many matters involving state and local government laws, including the Ralph M. Brown Act and the Public Records Act. He is often called upon to participate in overall strategy development to harmonize business and litigation objectives and to conduct negotiations with government entities.
Damon was named as a Southern California Super Lawyer for 2013-2023.
Damon received his J.D. from U.C. Berkeley, Boalt Hall in 1996, earned his M.A. in social psychology from San Francisco State University in 1992, and earned his B.A. in psychology from U.C. Berkeley in 1990. Prior to joining Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac, Damon was a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP.