Mintz, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, P.C. is expanding its Real Estate practice in San Diego with the addition of Christopher Stephens, who brings extensive experience in all aspects of land use, environmental matters, development and both federal and state regulation. He joins as a Member. 

Formerly at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Mr. Stephens’ practice encompasses acquisition disposition, renewable energy, large-scale residential development, mixed-use development, master planned communities and zoning. His expertise includes laws pertaining to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act, mining and public land.

“As the real estate market continues to accelerate and as the regulatory environment throughout the Southwest becomes more complex for developers of large projects, demand for sophisticated capabilities in support of our clients’ efforts to navigate the regulatory approval process is increasing,” said Eddie Wang Rodriguez, Managing Member of Mintz’s San Diego office.  “Chris not only fills that need with his extensive experience in advising developers of just about every kind of major development project, but his regulatory expertise adds to our ability to more effectively support  our clients’ business transactions generally.”

“Chris’s experience in working with developers of highly complex projects, from master-planned communities to entertainment and stadium developments, as well as major energy and mining projects throughout the Southwest makes him an outstanding addition to our West Coast real estate practice,” added Scott Biel, co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate Section.  “We also benefit from the insight that Chris brings to our project development team from his executive experience with two major developers, in order to most efficiently support our clients’ efforts to achieve project success, as well as project completion.”

Mr. Stephens’ current and recent project experience includes: a 7,700 acre mixed-use master planned community being planned in cooperation with the Arizona State Land Department; a large utility-scale solar power project located on more than 4,200 acres; federal and state regulatory approvals for gypsum and potash mining projects; acquisition, entitlement and development approvals for a large mixed-use stadium and entertainment complex; a large scale commercial agricultural development on thousands of acres of previously unfarmed land; and entitlement and other federal and state regulatory approvals with respect to a more than 3,000 acre mixed use development located on a former mine site.

In addition to his law firm experience, Mr. Stephens has served in executive leadership and senior legal positions for several homebuilding companies. He holds a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, an M.S. in Organizational Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology and a B.S. from Brigham Young University.