Biography
David H. Blackwell is a partner in the firm's San Francisco office where he practices real estate law with an emphasis on land use entitlements and litigation. David's experience includes representing landowners, developers, businesses, and governmental entities before administrative agencies and state and federal courts.
David's practice involves all areas of land use law, including state and local planning and zoning law, the California Environmental Quality Act, the Subdivision Map Act, initiatives and referenda, development agreements, affordable housing and the state density bonus law, traditional and sustainable energy projects, wetlands regulation, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, and the Williamson Act.
David is co-author of Ballot Box Navigator: A Practical and Tactical Guide to Land Use Initiatives and Referenda in California (Solano Press Books, 2003).
Memberships
- State Bar of California, Real Property Section and former Vice-Chair, Executive Committee
- State Bar of California, Litigation Section
- Urban Land Institute – San Francisco, Policy and Practice Committee Member, Programs Subcommittees
- San Francisco Urban Planning (SPUR), Housing Policy Board
- National Association of Home Builders
- National Association of Industrial & Office Properties, San Francisco
- California Building Industry Association
- Building Industry Association of the Bay Area
Accolades
- Selected for inclusion in Northern California
Super Lawyers (2005, 2010 - 2012) - Martindale-Hubbell A-V® rating
- Recognized in Top Rated Lawyers-AV® Preeminent™ Guide to Land Use and Zoning (2013)
Education
David received his LL.M. in European Law, with merit, from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1991. He received his J.D. from the University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law in 1990. He received his B.A. in English, with honors, from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1986.
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California