Jeff Forrest is a Land Use partner in the firm's San Diego office and has been practicing law for 20 years.
Areas of practice
Jeff's practice includes complex land use planning, obtaining entitlement approvals, and land use litigation defense for clients such as Holland Partner Group, Hines, Cisterra, Lincoln Properties, Loews Resorts, Hotel Del Coronado, JStreet Hospitality, Choice Hotels, Lowe Enterprises, Greystar, BioMed Realty, Pardee Homes, KB Home, Brookfield Homes, Caydon U.S.A., Chevron, Integral Communities, Jay Paul Company, Steelwave, solar and renewable energy developers (NextEra, Tenaska, NRG, Con Edison Development, Wells Fargo, Sempra Renewables, Alta Gas, and Enbridge), Allied Waste, the Building Industry Association, Citigroup, Comerica Bank, Black Mountain Ranch, Sovereign Capital, LLJ Investors, and Lane Field Developers.
Jeff specializes in counseling compliance with and litigating the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA"), California Coastal Act, Subdivision Map Act, Mitigation Fee Act, Endangered Species Act, and global warming laws and regulations.
In doing so, his land use work covers all aspects of advising and representing residential, industrial and commercial developers through all phases of the land use regulatory process, including real estate due diligence investigations; negotiating development agreements, easements, annexation agreements, water supply assessments, and environmental permits; processing land use entitlements, and appearing before governmental agencies and commissions.
Prior to joining Sheppard Mullin, he served in the U.S. Congress as the Legislative Director & Counsel to Congressman Mike Castle following the Congressman's terms as Delaware's Governor. In Congress, he focused on bankruptcy reform, financial services modernization, corporate governance, environmental, appropriations and tax legislation.
Jeff is a Board member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and a registered lobbyist with the City of San Diego, the County of San Diego, and San Diego Regional Airport Authority, and the San Diego Port Authority.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Jeffrey W. Forrest
- San Diego City Council Approves Union-Friendly Citywide Project Labor Agreement Restricting Most City Construction Projects - (Posted On Monday, February 12, 2024)
- Digital CEQA: New Executive Order Creates An Alternative Path For Complying With CEQA Notice, Posting And Public Review Requirements - (Posted On Monday, April 27, 2020)
- California’s “Housing Crisis Act of 2019” May Boost Housing Production or Just Boost Housing-Related Litigation - (Posted On Saturday, October 12, 2019)
- Five Years in the Making: California is One Step Closer to a Comprehensive Update to the CEQA Guidelines - (Posted On Monday, January 07, 2019)
- High Court Upholds Long-Term GHG Emissions Analysis, But Warns Agencies to Keep Pace with Regulatory Advancements: Lessons from Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. SANDAG - (Posted On Friday, July 21, 2017)
- Undisclosed Change in Building Height Requires Supplemental EIR (Environmental Impact Report) in California - (Posted On Monday, February 02, 2015)
- California Fourth District’s Split Decision Further Complicates CEQA Requirements Surrounding GHG Impact Analysis and Mitigation Measures – Dissent Warns Majority Opinion Will Weaken and Confuse the Law - (Posted On Friday, December 12, 2014)
- County of San Diego’s Adopted Climate Action Plan Violates CEQA: Fails to Include Enforceable GHG Reduction Measures - (Posted On Thursday, December 11, 2014)
- EIR Air Quality Analysis Insufficient: Lack of Specificity Regarding Human Health Impacts, Mitigation Measure Enforceability, and Evidence Supporting Measures’ Effectiveness in Substantially Reducing Air Quality Impacts Blamed - (Posted On Wednesday, June 11, 2014)
- Farming Solar Rays: County Decision to Approve Industrial-Scale Solar on Williamson Act Lands OK'd - (Posted On Thursday, July 11, 2013)