Veronika S. Morrison

Associate

Veronika Morrison is an associate attorney in the Sacramento-based law firm of Remy Moose Manley, LLP, which specializes in environmental law, land use and planning, water law, initiatives and referenda, and administrative law generally. Ms. Morrison joined the firm in 2020.

Ms. Morrison received her Juris Doctorate from the University of California at Davis, King Hall School of Law in 2020, with certificates in environmental law and public service law. She attended on a full Dean’s Merit Scholarship. Ms. Morrison received her Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2017, graduating cum laude and with honors in the major. While in college, Ms. Morrison interned for the nonprofit Ecological Rights Foundation and the Hazardous Materials Surveillance Section of the Orange County Environmental Health Care Agency.

At King Hall, Ms. Morrison was a senior notes and comments editor of the UC Davis Law Review, a senior articles editor of Environs, the Environmental Law and Policy Journal, and a symposium committee member of the Environmental Law Society. Ms. Morrison’s Law Review note, Airbnbs & Coastal Access: Can the California Coastal Commission Reject City Ordinances that Ban Short-Term Rentals?, was published in the UC Davis Law Review and won the Patrick J. Hopkins Memorial Writing Award for best note. During law school, Ms. Morrison worked as a law clerk for Remy Moose Manley, LLP, practiced in the UC Davis Aoki Water Justice Clinic, and interned with Orange County Coastkeeper.

Whitman F. Manley

Of Counsel (Retired)

Mr. Manley’s practice focuses on advising and representing public agencies, project applicants, and citizen’s groups both during administrative proceedings and in trial and appellate litigation. His practice encompasses California and Federal environmental and land use law, including the California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act, California Planning and Zoning Law, Subdivision Map Act, Williamson Act, initiatives and referenda, air and water quality, solid and hazardous waste, forestry, natural resources, endangered species, wetlands and related matters.

Upon graduation from law school in 1987, Mr. Manley spent a year clerking for the late Chief Judge Robert F. Peckham of the Northern District of California. He then joined the environmental section of McCutchen Doyle in San Francisco. In 1991 he moved to Sacramento and joined Remy and Thomas as an associate. He joined the partnership in 1996, became a named partner in 2003, and served as managing partner from 2007 through 2011. He went of counsel in 2014.

Along with Tina Thomas and Jim Moose, he is co-author of Guide to the California Environmental Quality Act (11th ed. 2007, Solano Press Books).

Published Decisions:

• Sierra Watch v. County of Placer (2021) 69 Cal.App.5th 86 (CEQA).
• Martis Camp Community Assn. v. County of Placer (2020) 53 Cal.App.5th 569 (CEQA).
• Stopthemillenniumhollywood.com v. City of Los Angeles (2019) 39 Cal.App.5th 1 (as Amicus Curiae) (CEQA).
• Banning Ranch Conservancy v. City of Newport Beach (2017) 2 Cal.5th 918 (CEQA).
• Japanese Village LLC v. Federal Transit Administration, 843 F.3d 445 (9th Cir. 2016) (NEPA).
• Mission Bay Alliance v. Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 160 (CEQA).
• Sierra Club v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 840 F.3d 1106 (9th Cir. 2016) (Tahoe Regional Planning Compact).
• Beverly Hills Unified School Dist. v. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Trans. Auth. (2015) 241 Cal.App.4th 627 (CEQA).
• Defend Our Waterfront v. California State Lands Com. (2015) 240 Cal.App.4th 570 (CEQA).
• Citizens for a Sustainable Treasure Island v. City and County of San Francisco (2014) 227 Cal.App.4th 1036 (CEQA).
• California Clean Energy Committee v. City of Woodland (2014) 225 Cal.App.4th 173 (CEQA).
• North Coast Rivers Alliance v. Marin Municipal Water Dist. Bd. of Directors (2013) 216 Cal.App.4th 614 (CEQA).
• Sierra Club v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (E. D. Cal. 2013) 916 F.Supp.2d 1098 (Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, CEQA).
• Stockton Citizens for Sensible Planning v. City of Stockton (2010) 48 Cal.4th 481 (as Amicus Curiae) (CEQA).
• Sustainable Transportation Advocates of Santa Barbara v. Santa Barbara County Assn. of Governments (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 113 (CEQA).
• South Yuba River Citizens League v. National Marine Fisheries Service, 237 F.R.D. 607 (E.D. Cal. 2009) (Federal Endangered Species Act).
• Friends of the Sierra Railroad v. Tuolumne Park and Recreation Dist. (2007) 147 Cal.App.4th 643 (CEQA).
• Save Our Neighborhood v. Lishman (2006) 140 Cal.App.4th 1288 (CEQA).
• Association for Sensible Development at Northstar, Inc. v. Placer County (2004) 122 Cal.App.4th 1289 (CEQA).
• Friends of Davis v. City of Davis (2000) 83 Cal.App.4th 1004 (CEQA).
• Citizens for Responsible Government v. City of Albany (1997) 56 Cal.App.4th 1199 (as Amicus Curiae) (CEQA).
• Chaparral Greens v. City of Chula Vista (1996) 50 Cal.App.4th 1134 (CEQA).
• Western States Petroleum Ass’n v. Superior Court (1995) 9 Cal.4th 559 (as Amicus Curiae) (CEQA).
• Natural Resources Defense Council v. California Fish and Game Comm’n (1994) 28 Cal.App.4th 1104 (California Endangered Species Act).
• Board of Supervisors of Sacramento County v. Local Agency Formation Comm’n of Sacramento County (1992) 3 Cal.4th 903 (CEQA).
• Ecodyne Corp. v. Shah, 718 F.Supp 1454 (N.D. Cal. 1989) (CERCLA).

Andrea K. Leisy

Partner

Ms. Leisy joined the firm in 2000 as an associate and became a partner in 2005. She served as managing partner from 2011 through 2016. Her practice focuses on advising and representing public agencies, project applicants and citizen’s groups during administrative proceedings and in trial and appellate litigation, with a focus on issues arising under the California Environmental Quality Act, the State Planning and Zoning Law, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, the Integrated Waste Management Act, and initiative and referendum law as they relate to land use matters.  Ms. Leisy has also worked on projects involving compliance with, or permitting under, Tanner Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Ms. Leisy currently works out of RMM’s Orange County office and regularly teaches CEQA, land use and environmental law continuing education classes and seminars for professional organizations such as the Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP), League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties.

Representative Matters:

• Lead attorney representing Waste Management of California, Inc. and Chemical Waste Management, Inc., in various organics recovery, TS/MRF, and alternative energy projects, as well as in administrative entitlement processes and litigation throughout the state.
• Outside counsel to various private applicants pursuing entitlements and the completion of environmental review for: cannabis related activities; affordable housing developments; aggregate mining; and senior care projects.
• Outside counsel to the City of Los Angeles, the Port of Los Angeles, and the City of Newport Beach in various matters subject to litigation, environmental review and entitlements.

Representative Cases:

• City of Los Angeles v. Federal Aviation Administration (2023) (9th Cir.) 63 F.4th 835 (counsel for Petitioner)
• G.I. Industries v. City of Thousand Oaks (2022) 84 Cal.App.5th 814 (counsel for Petitioner)
• Sierra Watch v. County of Placer (2021) 69 Cal.App.5th 86 (counsel for Real Party in Interest Squaw Valley Real Estate, LLC)
• Stein et al. v. Alameda County Waste Management Authority (2020) 2020 WL 4745561 (Counsel for Real Party in Interest Waste Management of Alameda County, Inc.)
• Sunset Coalition v. City of Los Angeles (2018) 2018 WL 1046243 (Counsel for Respondent City of Los Angeles)
• Placerville Historic Preservation League v. Judicial Council of California (2017) 16 Cal.App.5th 187 (counsel for Respondent Judicial Council)
• El Pueblo Para El Aire y Agua Limpio v. Kings County (2012) 2012 Cal.App.Unpub.LEXIS 4984 (counsel for Real Party in Interest)
• Citizens for Open Government v. City of Lodi (2012) 205 Cal.App.4th 296 (counsel for Real Party in Interest)
• California Native Plant Society v. County of El Dorado (2009) 170 Cal.App.4th 1026 (counsel for Real Party in Interest).

Howard F. Wilkins III (“Chip”)

Partner

Mr. Wilkins joined the firm in 2005 and became a partner in 2010.  His practice focuses on land use and environmental law.  Mr. Wilkins handles all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation.  Mr. Wilkins provides a wide variety of expert environmental and land use advice to public and private clients, including State agencies, cities and counties, special districts, environmental consultants, project applicants, environmental organizations, and individuals. With over 20 years of litigation experience in state and federal courts, Mr. Wilkins has been involved in litigation resulting in numerous precedent setting decisions in both California and Federal Courts. He also regularly represents clients in front of state and local agencies, including the California Coastal Commission, the California Energy Commission, State and Regional Water Quality Control Boards, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as well as numerous counties and cities. Mr. Wilkins’s practice covers the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the California Coastal Act, the Subdivision Map Act, the Williamson Act, the California Endangered Species Act, California Native Plant Protection Act, the Brown Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the federal Endangered Species Act, the federal Clean Water Act, the Tahoe Regional Compact, waste management, water law, administrative law, as well as initiative and referendum law.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Wilkins was an associate attorney in the complex litigation and litigation groups at Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard, where he represented public and private clients in state and federal court proceedings involving a broad range of matters, including inverse condemnation, eminent domain, contracts, products liability, unfair competition, and class actions.  He also volunteered at the Yolo County District Attorney’s office, handling hearings, bench trials and a jury trial.  Before entering law school, he served in various positions in the political arena, including research director for a state political party, political consultant and campaign manager.

Mr. Wilkins is an advisor to the Executive Committee for California Lawyers Association Environmental Law Section, former executive committee member (2011-2016) and chair of the Section (2015-2016), and the co-chair of the 2013 Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite.   Mr. Wilkins currently serves as the Treasurer for the California Lawyers Foundation and served on the Board of Representatives for the California Lawyers Association from 2018 through 2021 and as Chair of Board from 2019-2020.

Mr. Wilkins has regularly teaches land use and environmental continuing education classes and seminars for organizations such as the State Bar of California, Law Seminars International, and Association of Environmental Professionals. He also regularly speaks at conferences and meetings, such as Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite.

Representative matters include:

• Outside counsel to Marina Coast Water District for CEQA review of water and land use projects and in litigation defending challenge to proposed annexation. Wilkins also currently represents the District in challenges relating to a large desalination plant.
• Outside counsel to Imperial County and the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District for CEQA review of energy and land use projects and in litigation defending challenges to project approvals.
• Outside counsel to Yuba County Water Agency regarding numerous CEQA matters and in defense of federal Endangered Species Act cases.  The current case involves a challenge to several Biological Opinions regarding Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (“spring Chinook”), Central Valley steelhead (“steelhead”), and southern Distinct Population Segment of North American green sturgeon (“green sturgeon”) on the Yuba River.  In prior cases, the plaintiffs alleged separate Section 9 “take” violations against the Agency.
• Representing Homewood Village Resorts LLC, JMA Ventures LLC, Squaw Valley Resort LCC, Mountainside Partners LLC, Kila Lodge LLC, Kingsbarn Capital & Development, MJD Capital Partners, and BHR TRS Tahoe East LLC in separate matters navigating CEQA, the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, and land use entitlement processes to obtain permits from Placer County and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) as well as litigation in federal and California courts.
• Represented Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in defense of challenge to its adoption of Regional Plan in the United States Court for the Eastern District of California and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Represented Treasure Island Community Development, LLC and San Francisco Waterfront Partners II, LLC in separate matters navigating CEQA, and land use entitlement processes to obtain permits from the City and County of San Francisco and the State Lands Commission as well as litigation in California superior and appellate courts.
• Represented County of Contra Costa in defense of two challenges to its CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator program fees and refund claims.  Successfully settled the matter after filing demurrer on behalf of County.   The case was settled on favorable terms for the County, and the fees remained valid.
• Represented large retailer in successfully navigating CEQA and local land use entitlement processes to obtain a conditional use permit for home improvement store.  Despite vocal opposition during the permitting process, the project did not draw any litigation.  The entitlements sought included a tentative parcel map, design review, demolition permit, grading permit, building permits, encroachment permit from Caltrans, Asbestos Dust Mitigation Plan, approval for a piped canal, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and Nationwide 404 Permit.
• Represented California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) in defense of petition for a writ of mandate and declaratory relief claims relating to whether it was exempt from annual water-related assessments.  The case was settled on favorable terms for DFG as DFG was not required to pay any past or future assessments and incurred no financial obligations to the plaintiffs.
• Represented clients in administrative hearings, including the California Energy Commission, Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, and State Water Resources Control Board.
• Represented start-up companies in connection with proposals to site and obtain entitlements for proposed anaerobic digester facilities that transform organic waste into biogas fuel (hydrogen, methane), as well as biofuel, solar, and other clean energy projects.  Assisting clients in consultations with stakeholders and advising on environmental review process. Assisted clients in successfully obtaining millions in grant funding.

Published Decisions:

• Marina Coast Water District County of Monterey, __ Cal,App. __, 2023 WL 6459328 (2023) (counsel for Marina Coast Water District; CEQA case).
• League to Save Lake Tahoe Mountain etc. v. County of Placer (2022) 75 Cal.App.5th 63 (May 18, 2022) (counsel for Real Parties in Interest; CEQA case).
• Sierra Watch v. Placer County (2021) 69 Cal.App.5th 1 (counsel for Real Parties in Interest; Ralph M. Brown Act case).
• Friends of the River v. National Marine Fisheries Service (counsel for Intervenor-Defendant Yuba County Water Agency; Federal Endangered Species Act case)
  • 786 Fed.Appx. 666 (9th Cir. 2019) and
  • 293 F.Supp.3d 1151 (E.D. Cal. 2018).
• Friends of the River v. National Marine Fisheries Service (E.D. Cal., July 18, 2017, No. 216CV00818JAMEFB) 2017 WL 3034700 (counsel for Yuba County Water Agency; Federal Endangered Species Act case).
• Sierra Club v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (counsel for Tahoe Regional Planning Agency; Tahoe Regional Planning Compact case)
  • 840 F.3d 1106 (9th Cir. 2016)
  • 2014 WL 1366253 (E.D. Cal., Apr. 7, 2014) and
  • 2013 WL 3070632 (E.D. Cal. June 17, 2013).
• Defend Our Waterfront v. California State Lands Commission (2015) 240 Cal.App.4th 570 (counsel for Real Parties in Interest; CEQA case).
• Citizens for a Sustainable Treasure Island v. City and County of San Francisco (2014) 227 Cal.App.4th 1036 (counsel for Real Parties in Interest; CEQA case).
• Alliance for the Protection of the Auburn Community Environment v. County of Placer (2013) 215 Cal.App.4th 25 (counsel for Real Parties in Interest; CEQA case).
• Sierra Club v. Tahoe Reg’l Planning Agency,916 F.Supp.2d 1098 (E.D. Cal. 2013) (counsel for Real Parties in Interest; Tahoe Regional Planning Compact and CEQA case).
• Citizens for Open Government/ Lodi First v. City of Lodi(2012) 205 Cal.App.4th 296 (counsel for Real Parties in Interest; CEQA case).
• Yuba River Citizens League v. Nat’l Marine Fisheries Serv. (counsel for Yuba County Water Agency; Federal Endangered Species Act case)
  • 851 F. Supp. 2d 1246 (E.D. Cal. 2012);
  • 629 F. Supp. 2d 1123 (E.D. Cal. 2009); and
  • 257 F.R.D. 607 (E.D. Cal. 2009).
    

Tiffany K. Wright

 Partner

Ms. Wright joined the firm in 2000 and became a partner in 2006. Ms. Wright represents public agencies and private applicants in a variety of land use and environmental law matters. Ms. Wright handles all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation. Her practice covers the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the Subdivision Map Act, the Williamson Act, the California Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the federal Endangered Species Act, and the federal Clean Water Act provisions associated with wetlands permitting.

Ms. Wright teaches several land use and environmental law continuing education classes and seminars each year for professional organizations such as the Association of Environmental Professionals and Law Seminars International. She also regularly speaks at conferences and meetings, such as conferences for the California Chapter of the American Planning Association, the California Association of Environmental Professionals, the League of California Cities, the County Counsels’ Association of California and the American Public Transportation Association.

Her clients and representative matters include:

• The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for CEQA review of several transit and transportation projects including the Metro Crenshaw/LAX (K) Line, Regional Connector, Westside Purple Line Extension, West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor, and the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor, and the successful defense of several of those projects in CEQA and NEPA litigation.
• The City of Inglewood for the CEQA review of the Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center (Intuit Dome) and the Inglewood Transit Connector Project
• Richland Communities for several large specific plan projects, including the Lincoln Village 5 Specific Plan, a 4,943-acre mixed-use development in western Placer County.
• The Port of Los Angeles for CEQA review of various projects to implement the Port’s Master Plan.
• Calaveras County and Tuolumne County in the updates of their general plans.

Published Cases

• Ocean Street Extension Neighborhood Assn. v. City of Santa Cruz (2021) 73 Cal.App.5th 985.
• Sierra Club v. County of Fresno (2018) 6 Cal.5th 502.
• Neighbors for Smart Rail v. Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority (2013) 57 Cal.4th 439.
• Japanese Village, LLC v. Federal Transit Administration, 843 F.3d 445 (9th Cir. 2016).
• Beverly Hills Unified School District v. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (2015) 241 Cal.App.4th 627.
• South County Citizens for Smart Growth v. County of Nevada (2013) 221 Cal.App.4th 316.
• Sustainable Transportation Advocates of Santa Barbara v. Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 113.
• St. Vincent’s School for Boys, Catholic Charities CYO v. City of San Rafael (2008) 161 Cal.App.4th 989.
• CalBeach Advocates v. City of Solana Beach (2002) 103 Cal.App.4th 529.

Christopher Luke Stiles

Partner

Mr. Stiles’ practice focuses on land use and environmental law, with emphasis on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, the California Endangered Species Act, air and water quality, natural resources, wetlands, and related matters. He handles all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation.

Before joining Remy Moose Manley, LLP, Mr. Stiles worked as a graduate fellow at the California Energy Commission, where he worked on a number of land use and environmental issues relating to energy in California, including the siting and licensing of new power-plant projects. While in law school, he clerked with the California Environmental Protection Agency, the California Department of Fish and Game (now Department of Fish and Wildlife), and the Delta Stewardship Council.

Mr. Stiles teaches several land use and environmental law continuing education classes and seminars each year for professional organizations such as the Association of Environmental Professionals.

Representative Matters:

• Represent Oakland Athletics Investment Group LLC in the preparation of an EIR for a new ballpark and mixed-use development project near Howard Terminal in the City of Oakland. Represented Oakland Athletics Investment Group LLC in litigation challenging special legislation for the project. (Pacific Merchant Shipping Association v. Newsom (2021) 67 Cal.App.5th 711.)
• Represent California High-Speed Rail Authority in on-going preparation of multiple EIR/EISs for the statewide high-speed train project. Assisted in litigation defending EIR prepared for Merced-to-Fresno section of the project.
• Represented GSW Arena LLC as associate counsel in litigation challenging an EIR and various entitlements for an event center and mixed-use development project proposed by the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Assisted in successful defense on appeal before the First District Court of Appeal (Mission Bay Alliance v. Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 160).
• Represented developer in litigation challenging an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and various entitlements issued by the City and County of San Francisco for a mixed-use development project located along the India Basin shoreline of San Francisco Bay. The project site covers approximately 38.24 acres and consists of approximately 1,575 residential units, over 200,000 square feet of commercial space, public parkland and open space, and other uses.
• Represented the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency as associate counsel in challenge to Tahoe Area Regional Plan and associated environmental review. Assisted in successful defense on appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (Sierra Club v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (9th Cir. 2016) 840 F.3d 1106).
• Represented California Department of Water Resources in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Study (EIR/EIS) and related litigation for a water conveyance project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta known as the California WaterFix.
• Advised Calaveras County during the preparation and adoption of a zoning ordinance regarding the regulation of cannabis and other approvals related to the cannabis program. Represented the County in litigation challenging the approval of the cannabis ordinance. Also assisted with the development and environmental review for multiple amendments to the cannabis ordinance and represented the County in litigation challenging the amendments.
• Represents numerous public agencies and private developers through environmental review and litigation for various commercial, residential, and mixed-use development projects.

Published Cases:

• East Oakland Stadium Alliance v. City of Oakland (2023) 89 Cal.App.5th 1226
• Ocean Street Extension Neighborhood Assn. v. City of Santa Cruz (2022) 73 Cal.App.5th 985.
• Pacific Merchant Shipping Association v. Newsom (2021) 67 Cal.App.5th 711.
• Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. San Diego Association of Governments (2017) 3 Cal.5th 497 (as Amicus Curiae).
• Mission Bay Alliance v. Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 160.