CHRISTINE R. WADE
(Formerly Known As Christine Griffith)
CONTACTLand Use and Entitlements:
Ms. Wade is a Partner of the firm with a focus on land use counseling and litigation. She represents corporations, institutions, property owners and commercial and residential developers in administrative proceedings and litigation related to land use and development including obtaining permits and conducting environmental review for their projects. Ms. Wade has successfully represented clients before local planning commissions, city councils, boards of supervisors, and other regulatory bodies. She has extensive experience in San Francisco and other Bay Area communities.
Private Client Work:
Ms. Wade specializes in handling all kinds of real estate matters for high net worth individuals, family offices, and private foundations, including matters related to the purchase and development of commercial and high-end residential properties in California, Montana, Colorado, New York, Hawaii and the Caribbean. She puts particular emphasis on privacy, security, and entity formation. She also represents clients in judicial proceedings in both state and federal courts.
CEQA and Land Use Litigation:
Ms. Wade has successfully defended project entitlements against environmental and other challenges in both the Superior and Appellate courts and has asserted the rights of property owners against municipal and state government agencies in the judicial context. Ms. Wade’s practice emphasizes the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), property rights, zoning and planning laws, and the California Coastal Act. Her experience includes siting of renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar farms.
Education:
Undergraduate School: Univ. of Miami; Coral Gables, FL
Law School: Stanford Law School; Stanford, CA
Practice Areas:
Land Use and Entitlements, Environmental, Private Capital and Personal Real Property Services, Litigation
Representative Transactions
- Assist with purchase and development of estate properties worth up to upwards of $100 million
- Purchase of specialized properties including private islands, conservation lands, rural ranch properties, coastal properties and historic landmarks
- Work with family offices and family foundations
Published Decisions
- City of Hayward v. Trustees of California State University (2015) 242 Cal. App. 4th 833
- Woodland Park Management, LLC v. City of East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization Bd. (2010) 181 Cal. App. 4th 915
- City of Half Moon Bay v. Superior Court (2003) 106 Cal. App. 4th 795
- Santa Teresa Citizen Action Group v. City of San Jose (2003) 114 Cal. App. 4th 689
Professional Activities
- California Building Industry Association
- SF Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW)
- SF Bar Association Basketball League
- The Oakluv Foundation
Recognition
- Named one of the Best Land Use Lawyers in the Bay Area by the Bay Area Lawyer Magazine
- Named one of Northern California’s Best Lawyers by the San Francisco Chronicle