Leslie A. Thomsen

Overview

Leslie Thomsen, a member of our Public Law and Land Use practice groups, has more than two decades of in-depth experience in land use and planning law, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Subdivision Map Act, zoning law, Fifth Amendment takings, administrative permits and appeals, and complex land use litigation. She has ensured the legal adequacy of comprehensive general plan and zoning ordinance updates and findings to support project-level decisions by local agencies.

Ms. Thomsen is also experienced in initiatives, ballot measures, development impact fees, and user fees. Her real property transactional experience includes ground leases, development agreements, easements, rights of way and other public dedications, affordable housing loan documents, and public-private partnerships. She has defended a broad range of tort and civil rights actions against public entities in both state and federal courts, including appeals and writs.

Ms. Thomsen counsels clients on public law and land use from the firm’s Santa Rosa office and currently serves as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Petaluma.

In law school, Ms. Thomsen was a member of the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly and participated in the Hastings Civil Justice Clinic. From 2001 to 2004, Ms. Thomsen served as counsel in Washington, D.C. to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Committee.