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Los Angeles

T(213) 955-5584

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, University of Michigan Law School

  • B.A., Cornell University

Bar Admissions

  • California

  • Illinois

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

  • U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern Districts of California

Memberships

  • Western Justice Center, Board of Directors, Executive Committee

  • Urban Land Institute-Los Angeles (ULI-LA), WLI GROW Program Mentor (2019), Partnership Forum Mentor (2021)

Emily L. Murray

Partner

Emily, co-chair of the Land Use, Environmental, and Natural Resources practice group, represents private and public sector clients in legal and business matters related to land use and environmental law.

From the timely securing of permits, approvals, and entitlements in land use transactions to helping clients buy, sell, or lease environmentally contaminated sites, resolve enforcement actions, or litigate environmental disputes, Emily has the ability to distill complicated concepts into practical business strategies and solutions that she applies for her clients to achieve favorable outcomes.

Emily has the proven ability, experience, and network of relationships and resources to achieve results for her clients both in strong real estate markets as well as during more challenging times. During economic downturns she helps her clients navigate entitlement delays and other obstacles that could otherwise impede her clients’ goals. She works with her clients, jurisdictions, and oversight agencies to adapt the project and permitting and entitlement strategy to changing markets and conditions, including modifying or repurposing existing entitlements to fit the client's needs.

California Land Use

In land use matters, Emily delivers projects that her clients are passionate about, and that jurisdictions are excited about, too. She maintains excellent relationships throughout California—even when projects are challenged or contentious.

Emily takes a cooperative approach. She believes that keeping open communication channels among the entire project team, including architects, consultants, planners, city and county attorneys, supervisors, councilmembers, and others, is critical to her clients’ successes.

For a Silicon Valley company, she completed the entitlement work for a ground-up, 1.2 million-square-foot office building that featured sustainable and environmental components, as well as a unique design that addresses both current and future operational needs. The project was so forward thinking that the city’s development and zoning code didn’t even contemplate many of the entitlement requests. Emily worked collaboratively with the client and the city to ensure the project would proceed as envisioned.

Her land use work covers a range of complex projects. For the wireless industry, she obtains permits and entitlements for cell towers and right of way installations and other build-out work. For a national rental car company, she helped relocate its operations at LAX. For developers, she works through all imaginable land use hurdles in mixed-use developments—housing, retail, and office—urban revitalization projects, large residential developments, and more.

Environmental

Emily handles complicated and contentious issues that involve environmental regulations and agencies. She advises clients on contaminated site transactions and negotiates or litigates remediation projects under the purview of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal, state, and local agencies.

A significant portion of her experience involves enforcement actions and litigation under the federal Clean Water Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, known as CERCLA or Superfund, and under two California equivalents, the Porter-Cologne Act (water quality) and the Hazardous Substance Act (HSAA), also known as the state Superfund law. She is also a trusted resource for clients in environmental tort cases, including nuisance, trespass, and negligence claims.

On the transactional side, Emily represents property owners, business operators, investors, and developers with sizeable real estate portfolios seeking to mitigate environmental liabilities in the sale, lease, purchase, or financing process. Her work results in practical strategies that minimize risks, such as obtaining a guarantee or indemnification from the seller (or buyer), a liability protection agreement with applicable agencies, or environmental insurance. Where remediation is required, she identifies responsible parties that may be accountable and ensures that the work is done as cost-effectively and promptly as possible to suit her client’s business needs.

Management, Diversity and Pro Bono

Emily is a former member of the firm's Management Committee. She is deeply committed to pro bono work, and participates in pro bono matters in conjunction with Los Angeles Public Counsel, Human Rights First, and The Alliance for Children’s Rights.

Accolades

  • Named one of Bisnow's Los Angeles Power Women in Commercial Real Estate (2019)

California Land Use

In land use matters, Emily delivers projects that her clients are passionate about, and that jurisdictions are excited about, too. She maintains excellent relationships throughout California—even when projects are challenged or contentious.

Emily takes a cooperative approach. She believes that keeping open communication channels among the entire project team, including architects, consultants, planners, city and county attorneys, supervisors, councilmembers, and others, is critical to her clients’ successes.

For a Silicon Valley company, she completed the entitlement work for a ground-up, 1.2 million-square-foot office building that featured sustainable and environmental components, as well as a unique design that addresses both current and future operational needs. The project was so forward thinking that the city’s development and zoning code didn’t even contemplate many of the entitlement requests. Emily worked collaboratively with the client and the city to ensure the project would proceed as envisioned.

Her land use work covers a range of complex projects. For the wireless industry, she obtains permits and entitlements for cell towers and right of way installations and other build-out work. For a national rental car company, she helped relocate its operations at LAX. For developers, she works through all imaginable land use hurdles in mixed-use developments—housing, retail, and office—urban revitalization projects, large residential developments, and more.

Environmental

Emily handles complicated and contentious issues that involve environmental regulations and agencies. She advises clients on contaminated site transactions and negotiates or litigates remediation projects under the purview of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal, state, and local agencies.

A significant portion of her experience involves enforcement actions and litigation under the federal Clean Water Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, known as CERCLA or Superfund, and under two California equivalents, the Porter-Cologne Act (water quality) and the Hazardous Substance Act (HSAA), also known as the state Superfund law. She is also a trusted resource for clients in environmental tort cases, including nuisance, trespass, and negligence claims.

On the transactional side, Emily represents property owners, business operators, investors, and developers with sizeable real estate portfolios seeking to mitigate environmental liabilities in the sale, lease, purchase, or financing process. Her work results in practical strategies that minimize risks, such as obtaining a guarantee or indemnification from the seller (or buyer), a liability protection agreement with applicable agencies, or environmental insurance. Where remediation is required, she identifies responsible parties that may be accountable and ensures that the work is done as cost-effectively and promptly as possible to suit her client’s business needs.

Management, Diversity and Pro Bono

Emily is a former member of the firm's Management Committee. She is deeply committed to pro bono work, and participates in pro bono matters in conjunction with Los Angeles Public Counsel, Human Rights First, and The Alliance for Children’s Rights.

Accolades

  • Named one of Bisnow's Los Angeles Power Women in Commercial Real Estate (2019)

transactional Land Use and environmental

  • Aerospace Company. Long-term campus development including Development Agreement and Specific Plan.
  • Developer. Remediation of property impacted by historic railroad operations under Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) oversight.
  • Developer. Obtaining entitlements from the City of Pasadena and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance for a major mixed-use development project including age-restricted residential units, office, and retail.
  • Developer. Amending entitlements and partial sale of development project including 1050 residential units over an approximately 248 acre portion of the former Fort Ord Army Base in the City of Marina.
  • Food Distribution Company. Protecting confidential information contained in a bid proposal to a state agency from disclosure pursuant to California Public Records Act (CPRA) request propounded by a competitor.
  • Rental Car Company. Relocation of rental car facilities at LAX, including preparation of environmental documentation under CEQA.
  • Residential Developer. Large scale, multi-phase residential development on property historically used for oilfield operations.
  • Multifamily Housing Project Owner. DTSC remediation of property impacted by lead contamination originating from former Exide battery recycling facility in Vernon, California.
  • Technology Company. Protecting their confidential information from disclosure to competitors or other members of the public pursuant to CPRA and federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to state and federal agencies.
  • Technology Company. Land use, environmental, and NEPA compliance issues in negotiation of 40-year lease of more than 40 acres of unimproved land to construct up to 1.2 million square feet of offices and research and development facilities.
  • Technology Company. Entitlements and CEQA compliance for development of 595,000 square foot headquarters building.
  • Technology Company. Entitlements and CEQA compliance for development of 1.2 million square foot office campus.
  • Telecommunications Company. Variety of contested land use and permitting matters.

Litigation and Enforcement

  • Alfaville LLC L.A. v. Signal, et al. (U.S. District Court). Federal court litigation brought under CERCLA regarding historical contamination of property.
  • City of Hesperia v. Lake Arrowhead Community Services District, et al. (California Superior Court, California Court of Appeals). Mandamus action challenging community services district approval of solar project and subsequent appeal.
  • City of Riverside v. Black & Decker (US) Inc., et al. (California Superior Court). Litigation concerning alleged perchlorate contamination of Riverside drinking water wells.
  • Coppola, et al. v. Smith, et al. (U.S. District Court). Multi-party federal court litigation brought under CERCLA, HSAA, and state law common law theories regarding contamination of regional groundwater with PCE.
  • County of Madera v. City of Fresno (California Superior Court). CEQA litigation.
  • East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice v. US Polymers, Inc. (U.S. District Court). On behalf of industrial firm, negotiated written agreement by community group to withdraw notice of intent to file a citizen suit under the Clean Water Act.
  • Former Chicago Musical Instruments Site. Administrative resolution of DTSC claim for reimbursement of response and oversight costs in connection with contaminated site.
  • Hiatt, et al. v. AGC Incorporated, et al. (California Superior Court). Defended product manufacturer in asbestos litigation.
  • Kerikeri v. City of Los Angeles, et al. (California Superior Court). Litigation concerning future street dedication and related easements.
  • Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation v. Triumph Aerostructures, LLC d/b/a Triumph Aerostructures Vought Aircraft Division. Expert witness in arbitration matter concerning environmental provisions of an asset purchase agreement.
  • Oil and Gas Company. Administrative enforcement action brought by Regional Water Quality Control Board with regard to crude oil impacted soil stockpiles.
  • People v. Fragrant Jewels, LLC (California Superior Court). Criminal enforcement action concerning alleged discharge of hazardous waste to storm drain.
  • People New Era (California Superior Court). Criminal enforcement action concerning alleged environmental code violations by tenant.
  • Santa Barbara Channelkeeper v. Santa Barbara Polo Club (U.S. District Court). Clean Water Act citizens suit alleging violations of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation stormwater regulations.
  • State of California Department of Toxic Substances Control v. Westside Delivery LLC, et al. (U.S. District Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit). Successful summary judgment defense of CERCLA cost recovery action brought by DTSC and subsequent appeal.
  • The Right Site Coalition v. Los Angeles Unified School District (California Superior Court, California Court of Appeals). CEQA litigation, including successful appeal of attorneys' fee award in Court of Appeal and California Supreme Court.
  • United States of America, et al. v. HVI Cat Canyon Inc. (U.S. District Court.) Civil penalty and cost recovery action brought by the United States under the Clean Water Act and by various California state agencies under state law concerning alleged oil spills and violations of oil pollution prevention regulations.
  • Wishtoyo Foundation, et al. v. Magic Mountain LLC, et al. (U.S. District Court). Third party claims by adjacent landowner client alleging contribution to stormwater discharge violations in Clean Water Act citizen suit.

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