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Overview
Phil Kohn’s practice emphasis includes the entire range of legal matters in transactional, trial and appeal settings encountered in the representation both of public entities and of private individuals and organizations dealing with government agencies.
Specifically, Phil has developed a concentration in the subjects of land use regulation, planning and zoning law, environmental law, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, civil rights and constitutional law, and general municipal affairs. Phil’s practical experience includes serving as the City Attorney of the City of Laguna Beach since 1982 and the City of Irvine from 2006 to 2013. In addition, Phil served from 2010 to 2013 as the General Counsel for the Orange County Great Park Corporation.
Phil also has been involved in general state and local initiative ballot measures. In particular, he was the principal drafter of the following statewide measures: Propositions 10 (State and County Early Childhood Development Programs; 1998), 50 (Water Quality, Supply and Safe Drinking Water Projects, Coastal Wetlands Purchase and Protection; 2002), and 10 (Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy; 2008).
He is a longstanding member and former President of the Orange County City Attorneys Association. He also is active in the League of California Cities. Since 1997, Phil has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Law Center, a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to provide pro bono legal services to the poor and needy in Orange County. He served as the President of the organization from 2001 through 2003.
Experience
Areas of Focus
- Land Use
- Planning
- Zoning
- Subdivision
- Environmental
- Political Reform Act
- Brown Act
- Administrative
- Eminent Domain
- Inverse Condemnation
- Civil Rights and Constitutional Law
News & Insights
Over the years, Phil has taught a number of courses and has written and delivered papers on a broad scope of topics related to his practice, including:
- How to Be an Appellate Rock Star for the Orange County Bar Association Masters Division – November 2014
- Subdivision Map Act Overview and Update for the Rutan & Tucker Land Use & Natural Resources Practice Group – September 2014
- CEQA: Emerging Trends and New Cases for the Rutan & Tucker Land Use & Natural Resources Practice Group – April 2014
- Emerging Trends in CEQA for the Appellate Judicial Attorneys Institute Conference – March 2014
- Avoiding Public Hearing Pitfalls for the Rutan & Tucker Land Use & Natural Resources Practice Group – December 2012
- Member, Editorial Board for The California Municipal Law Handbook (Cont. Ed. Bar), 2011 and 2012 editions
- Subdivisions Gone Bad – Dealing With Broke Developers and Other Messes for the Rutan & Tucker Land Use & Natural Resources Practice Group – July 2011
- Homelessness: Challenging Issues for Challenging Times for the Orange County City Attorneys Association – April 2009
- General Municipal Law Update for the League of California Cities City Attorneys Department Fall Conference – September 2008
- General Municipal Law Update for the League of California Cities City Attorneys Department Spring Conference – May 2008
- General Municipal Law Update for the League of California Cities City Attorneys Department Fall Conference – September 2007
- General Municipal Law Update for the League of California Cities City Attorneys Department Spring Conference – May 2007
- Legal Ethics and Pro Bono for the Orange County Bar Association Travel Seminar – November 2006
- Update on Land Use and CEQA Cases for the League of California Cities City Attorneys Department Fall Conference – September 2004
- Update on Land Use and CEQA Cases for the League of California Cities City Attorneys Department Spring Conference – May 2004
- City Attorney Ethics for the City Attorneys Association of Los Angeles County Spring 2004 Retreat – March 2004
- The General Plan Consistency Requirement and the California Environmental Quality Act for Chapter 67 (Orange County) of the International Right of Way Association, Seminar on Hot Topics Concerning the Right to Take Private Property – February 2003
- Overview of Conflict of Interest Laws to the Newport Beach City Council – February 2002
- City Attorney Disaster Response: Manmade and Acts of God for joint meeting of the Orange County and Los Angeles County City Attorneys Associations – October 2001
- Land Use, Environmental and Municipal Law Update, Rutan & Tucker Newsletter – Spring 2001
- Annual Review of Land Use Legislation and Litigation for the Planning Directors Association of Orange County – March 2001
- Litigation and Liability: Mandate/Judicial Review for Seminar 2001: Segment Four of the City Attorneys Department of the League of California Cities – February 2001
- Wireless Siting Issues: Telecommunications NIMBYs (Overview of Recent Cases) for the second annual Telecommunications Infrastructure Conference produced by Law Seminars International – November 2000
- 1999 Litigation Update for the annual Planners Institute sponsored by the League of California Cities for planning commissioners and planning directors and staff – March 2000
- Annual Review of Land Use Legislation and Litigation for the Planning Directors Association of Orange County – February 2000
- Author, “Legal Notes” column of Western City, the monthly publication of the League of California Cities – 1999
- Annual Review of Land Use Legislation and Litigation for the Planning Directors Association of Orange County – February 1999
- The Profession of Law for the Politics, Administration and Justice Days panel symposium at California State University, Fullerton – November 1998
- Annual Review of Land Use Legislation and Litigation for the Planning Directors Association of Orange County – February 1998
- Annual Review of Land Use Legislation and Litigation for the Planning Directors Association of Orange County – April 1997
- Verbal versus Written Appraisal Reports and Impeachment by Prior Appraisal Testimony for the annual litigation conference of the Southern California Chapter of the Appraisal Institute – November 1996
- Inverse Condemnation for the annual litigation conference of the Southern California Chapter of the Appraisal Institute – November 1995
- Overview of the First Amendment and Free Speech for the Continuing Learning Experience program at California State University, Fullerton – April 1995
- The Subdivision Map Act and Illegally Created Parcels for the Chapter 67 (Orange County) of the International Right of Way Association Land Titles Seminar – November 1994
- Rebuilding in Response to Natural Disasters for the Real Property Law Section of the California State Bar at its annual retreat – May 1994
- The Role of the City Attorney in Natural Disasters for the Orange County City Attorneys’ Association March – 1994
- Land Development and the Subdivision Map Act for the annual Planners Institute sponsored by the League of California Cities for planning commissioners and planning directors and staff March – 1994
- Overview of the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act, and Liability of Public Officials for the annual conference of the California Association of Parks and Recreation Commissioners and Board Members February – 1994
- Coping With Antiquated Subdivisions for the City Attorneys Department of the League of California Cities annual conference – October 1990
- Mergers and Lot Line Adjustments for the Land Surveying Seminar of the Orange County Chapter of the California Land Surveyors Association May – 1987
Awards & Affiliations
Awards & Honors
- Southern California “Super Lawyers” 2006-2020
- AV® Preemininent™ rating with LexisNexis/Martindale Hubbell
Memberships & Associations
- Orange County City Attorneys Association; Past President (1991)
- League of California Cities Legal Advisory Committee (1992-1994); Executive Committee (1993-1994)
- League of California Cities Environmental Quality Policy Committee (2000-2002)
- Member, Subdivision Map Act Advisory Group, California Assembly Committee on Local Government (1994)
