Allen Matkins, a California-based full service real estate and business law firm, announced today the hiring of land use partner Fernando Villa in its Los Angeles office, where the firm also welcomes new tax associate Scott M. Dommes. The two new hires follow the recent addition of land use associate Michelle L. Moore in Allen Matkins’ San Francisco office.
“This wave of recent hires is part of Allen Matkins’ strategic plan and growth initiative,” said David L. Osias, managing partner at Allen Matkins. “The hiring of Fernando was a real team effort by many of our partners and he is a fantastic addition to our firm, as are both Michelle and Scott. Our goal is to attract the brightest and most talented attorneys who fit Allen Matkins’ culture of success, client service and community involvement.” Allen Matkins has hired 10 new lateral attorneys in the last 10 months, in addition to the seven law school graduates hired last fall.
Fernando Villa brings with him nearly 30 years of experience in land use, environmental law, governmental matters and real estate dispute resolution. He has secured virtually every form of entitlement and CEQA compliance for clients involved in a variety of projects, including mixed-use, industrial, residential, retail, commercial, resorts and master-planned communities. His practice extends to advising clients on identifying and resolving environmental risks for Brownfield development of environmentally impacted properties, working closely with regulators, insurers and lenders to achieve the clients’ goals. While Fernando’s work has occurred primarily on the West Coast, he has handled matters in Arizona, Florida, New York and other states.
Prominent matters in which Fernando recently served as lead counsel include addressing all land use and environmental aspects of the acquisition of the 100+ acre former NUMMI site in Fremont by Tesla Motors, which now uses the facility for the production of its high-end Model S line. He also has represented Wood Partners in the repositioning of properties entitled for condominiums into high-density apartments and retail space throughout Southern California. Fernando represented 7-Eleven during its recent acquisition program in which the franchise sought to expand by more than 200 new stores throughout Los Angeles County. In addition, he has represented LAUSD in CEQA and environmental matters involving the development of over 30 school projects under its $18 billion New School Construction Program.
Fernando serves on the Executive Committee of the Central City Association, is a Director on the Board for Abode Communities, the largest non-profit affordable housing developer in Los Angeles County, and is a member of the California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP), CoreNet Global International and the International Council of Shopping Centers. He frequently speaks at conferences and before industry groups on the topics of CEQA, environmental law and land use. Fernando received his J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt School of Law, and his bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Los Angeles where he graduated magna cum laude. He was previously a partner at Pircher, Nichols & Meeks in Los Angeles.
Allen Matkins’ national land use practice encompasses more than two dozen attorneys statewide and covers the entire realm of entitlements, permitting and government approvals, including affordable housing, CEQA/NEPA, climate change and sustainable development, due diligence, governmental advocacy, natural resources, project management, public finance, and litigation.
Scott Dommes joins the Allen Matkins tax and joint venture group as an associate, also in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Having most recently worked as a senior associate in the transaction advisory services group of Ernst & Young LLP, he brings with him experience in all aspects of transaction tax, including tax structuring, tax due diligence, bankruptcy, consolidated returns, stock and asset tax bases, earnings and profits, and internal restructurings. In addition to transaction tax, Scott has experience in financial accounting and tax compliance for both corporations and partnerships. Prior to Ernst & Young, Scott was an associate in the Silicon Valley office of Latham & Watkins LLP. His representative clients include private equity firms, insurance and reinsurance companies, and small to large public and private companies, both domestic and international.
Scott received his L.L.M. in Taxation, with first honors, from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, and his B.A. with honors, in Economics and English from the University of California, Davis.
The tax and joint venture practice group at Allen Matkins has a national reputation for its sophisticated and innovative approaches to a wide variety of business and tax planning issues. Consisting of approximately a dozen attorneys statewide, it represents clients in the industries of real estate, financial services, non-profit organizations, entertainment, technology, biomedical devices, biotechnology, hospitality and manufacturing.
