Jeff Lawson’s practice focuses on compliance and litigation related to environmental law and land use. Jeff serves the petroleum, manufacturing, water, agriculture, transportation, financial services, real estate, and semiconductor industries. He also serves as a mediator in environmental and commercial disputes. Jeff has been recognized by Law & Politics Media and San Francisco Magazine as one of “Northern California’s Super Lawyers” from 2004 to the present and was named one of the top 100 lawyers in Northern California in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Additionally, immediately after passing the California Bar exam, Jeff entered the U.S. Air Force as a Judge Advocate in the rank of First Lieutenant. After four years of active duty, Jeff continued his affiliation with the U.S. Air Force as a Reserve and Air National Guard Judge Advocate, retiring in 2010 as a Brigadier General.
Education
- University of California, Los Angeles - J.D.
- San Jose State University - B.A., with great distinction
Representative Clients
- Greystar
- McCarthy Ranch
- USA Properties Fund
- Sobrato Development Company
- Bridge Bank
- SummerHill Homes
- Sharks Sports & Entertainment LLC (the “San Jose Sharks”)
- Great Oaks Water Co.
- Samaritan Properties, LLC.
Reported Cases
- T.W.C. Storage LLC v. State Water Resources Control Board (2010) 185 Cal. App. 4th. 291 (Authority of Regional Board to Impose Fines.)
- Great Oaks Water Co. v. Santa Clara Valley Water District (2009) 170 Cal. App. 4th, 956 (Applicability of CEQA to Groundwater Charges.)
- Kelsoe v. State Water Resources Control Board (2007)153 Cal. App. 4th 569 (Perfect compliance is not required for eligibility under the Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Clean-Up Fund.)
- Canal Street, Ltd. et al. v. Robert A. Sorich et al. (2000) 77 Cal. App. 4th 602 (Settlement tolls five-year period to reduce action to judgment overruling Varwig v. Leider (1985) 171 Cal. App. 3d 312.)
- Boyce v. Bumb (1996) 944 F. Supp 807 (Innocent Party May Maintain a Claim for Full Cost Recovery under CERCLA.)
- Camellia Park HOA v. Greenbriar Homes Co. (1995) 882 F. Supp 150. (Recoverability of attorney fees under RCRA.)
- In the Matter of Gilroy Associates (1993) TSCA Appeal No. 92-6 Environmental Appeals Board (Mistake of fact is a defense to a PCB violation under Toxic Substances Control Act.)
- Capogeannis v. Superior Court (1993) 12 Cal. App. 4th 668 (Applicability of Torts of Continuing Nuisance and Continuing Trespass to Former Owners of Contaminated Property.)
- Williams v. Leybold Technologies, Inc. (1992) 785 F. Supp 765 (Application of Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act to Manufacturer.)
Special Recognition
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- "Northern California Super Lawyers," San Francisco Magazine and Law & Politics Media, 2004-present, Top 100: 2011, 2012, 2013
- Martindale-Hubbell AV rated
Community
- Former Chair of the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
- Member, Rotary Club of San Jose
- Member, Mission Readiness, Military Leaders For Kids
- Brigadier General, California Air National Guard (retired)
- Former Professor, Lincoln Law School-Environmental and Water Law
- Member, California Lawyers Association Environmental Law Section Executive Committee 2011 – 2014. Currently serve as an Advisor
- Member, California Lawyers Association Environmental Law Section
Client Reviews
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The litigation team gave me the muscle, organizational skills and attention to detail I needed against our major competitor and got us a great result.
I expected legal competence from SVLG and they delivered on that expectation. But they went beyond my expectations in two important ways.
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