LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Justin A. Zucker is a member of the firm’s land use group. His practice emphasizes entitlements, due diligence, administrative compliance, and environmental law for development projects in San Francisco, Oakland, and the greater Bay Area. His land use and entitlement experience includes commercial, mixed-use, industrial, and residential projects as well as historic renovation and conversion projects.
His expertise includes California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) environmental review, zoning review and property-specific due diligence, accessory dwelling unit provisions, and formula retail approval. Mr. Zucker’s clients range from globally recognized developers proposing large mixed-use projects or high-rise residential projects and national retailers to individuals looking to remodel and expand their homes.
Mr. Zucker has represented developers, property owners, businesses, and non-profits at the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Zoning Administrator, Board of Appeals, Port Commission, and various administrative bodies. He has also appeared before state and federal courts throughout California.
Before joining Reuben, Junius, & Rose, LLP, Mr. Zucker was Senior Counsel at Gordon & Rees Skully Mansukhani handling litigation defense, giving him broad depth and perspective into the transactional and entitlement hazards that lead to lawsuits and the importance of addressing all potential issues at the outset. In addition, Mr. Zucker interned for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, providing him with a wide-ranging administrative law and regulatory compliance foundation.
EDUCATION
- B.S., 2006, University of Wisconsin – Madison
- J.D., 2011, Cleveland State University – Marshall College of Law (Founding Member and Publications Editor, Global Business Law Review)
- M.A. Environmental Studies, 2011, Cleveland State University – Maxine Goodman Levine College of Urban Affairs
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Planning Commissioner, City of Piedmont
- Executive Committee Member; Law School Outreach Committee Co-Chair; & Legislative Committee Member, California Lawyers Association
- Board Member & Regulatory Committee Member, Housing Action Coalition
- Executive Committee Member & Past Chair, Bar Association of San Francisco Environmental Law Section
- Gala Committee Co-Chair; NEXT Committee Vice-Chair, Urban Land Institute
- Committee Member, Curry Senior Center
- Member, San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association
- Member, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
- 2023 Housing Legislation Round-Up, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update October 18, 2023
- 2023 California Legislation – Summer Recess Update, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update August 15, 2023
- Panelist, “Environmental Legislative Update: A 2022 Recap and 2023 Outlook” (San Francisco Bar Association, August 1, 2023)
- 2023 Legislation at a Glance – Part 2, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update April 12, 2023
- 2023 Legislation at a Glance – Part 1, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update April 5, 2023
- Moderator, “Ethics and Environmental Law 2023” (San Francisco Bar Association, January 10, 2023)
- 2022 Housing Legislation Round-Up, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update October 6, 2022
- Moderator, “Maximizing State Housing Production Laws and Best Practices (San Francisco Bar Association, September 27, 2022)
- Downtown Oakland Specific Plan: ZIP Update, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update September 21, 2022
- Oakland: Housing Approved & Zoning Updates, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update July 20, 2021
- Draft Zoning Amendments Released for Downtown Oakland, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update May 12, 2022
- Oakland ADU Updates: Legalization Amnesty Program, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update January 12, 2022
- Moderator, Ethics and Environmental Law 2022 (San Francisco Bar Association, January 11, 2022)
- Legislation Seeks Water Conservation in New Buildings, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update August 19, 2021
- Accessory Dwelling Units – Oakland Update, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update April 21, 2021
- Housing Production Legislation to Watch, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update December 16, 2020
- Oakland Entitlement Extensions, Is California Next?, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update August 12, 2020
- Moderator, “Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Planning, Preparation, and Predictions (San Francisco Bar Association, March 5, 2020)
- SB 50 Revamp: The More HOMES Act Amended, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update January 9, 2020
- Jobs Housing Linkage Fee on Offices Could Increase, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update September 17, 2019
- Draft Downtown Oakland Specific Plan to be Released this Summer, Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Update April 23, 2019
- Moderator, “Environmental Legislation in California: Trends, Directions, and Developments” (San Francisco Bar Association, February 14, 2017)
- Moderator, “The Clean Power Plan: Tackling climate change through GHG reductions at existing fossil fuel-fired power plants” (San Francisco Bar Association, March 3, 2016)
- Moderator, “Environmental Legislation in California: Trends, Directions, and Developments” (San Francisco Bar Association, March 3, 2015)
- Moderator, “The Impact of Greenhouse Gas Restrictions on the California Economy: A Long-Term Prognosis of Costs and Benefits” (San Francisco Bar Association, August 21, 2014)
- Moderator, “Environmental Legislation in California: Trends, Directions, and Developments” (San Francisco Bar Association, March 31, 2014)
