Lauren K. Chang
Partner
Lauren Chang, based in Los Angeles, is a member of the Real Estate, Energy, Land Use, and Environmental practice group at Sheppard Mullin. She advises and counsels property owners, private and public developers, and non-profit organizations regarding land use issues, subdivisions, entitlements, and environmental compliance. Ms. Chang negotiates and obtains land use approvals for projects of all sizes, from streamlined affordable housing developments to complex multi-year development projects requiring legislative approvals and compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act. She advises clients from initial due diligence to final project approval and through the building permit stage. Ms. Chang has special expertise in projects that use housing streamlining tools at the state and local level, including SB 35, AB 2011, State Density Bonus Law, and others. Ms. Chang received her BA, with honors, from the University of California, Davis, and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.
Steven Braccini
Partner
Steve Braccini practices in the area of Fiduciary Litigation, also known as Trust and Estate Litigation. He is one of the few Fellows in the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Braccini frequently takes on some of the most difficult and challenging matters wending their way through the probate courts.
Anna S. McLean
Partner
Anna McLean drives class action defense strategy for companies facing legal threats in a variety of industries, including financial services, insurance, food, construction, and technology in both state and federal courts. She guides strategy to head off class actions by drafting effective product labels and consumer contract language. When a demand letter arrives, Ms. McLean’s guidance has helped many clients resolve matters with minimal costs. If litigation nevertheless ensues, her team guides clients through their strategic defense options with experience and efficiency towards a successful resolution. Ms. McLean graduated from UC Berkeley in 1984 and the UCLA School of Law in 1989. She has been a partner at two major San Francisco law firms in her 34-year career. Ms. McLean is a co-leader of Sheppard Mullin's Class Action team and regularly publishes insights on the firm's Class Action Blog and elsewhere. She is member of Law360's Consumer Protection Advisory Board. Ms. McLean is also a Board member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Northern California.
Peter M. Menard
Of Counsel
Peter Menard is Of Counsel at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton LLP. His practice includes corporate governance, securities law compliance, and corporate transactions. Mr. Menard’s securities practice includes complex disclosure issues; Board and committee representation; internal investigations; periodic SEC filings; exchange listing rules; public offerings; venture capital financings; shareholder proposals; proxy contests; tender offers; rights offerings; going private transactions; and SEC and exchange enforcement actions. His corporate practice includes acquisitions; leveraged buyouts; and technology development, research, license, and materials transfer agreements. Mr. Menard earned his MS and J.D. from the University of Michigan and his BA from Santa Clara University. He is admitted to practice in California, U.S. District Court of the Central District of California, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Justin J. Mahramas
Senior Associate
Justin Mahramas’ practice focuses on land use and real estate matters, specifically obtaining project approvals for private developers and property owners in California. He advises clients at all stages of the entitlement process, from performing initial due diligence, to ensuring compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), through receiving project approvals. Mr. Mahramas has worked on a variety of projects, including mixed-use, commercial, multi-family residential, and institutional. Mr. Mahramas received his J.D. from the College of William & Mary (2013). He received his BA from Bucknell University (2010). Mr. Mahramas spent a year during undergrad studying at Oxford University (Hertford College). Mr. Mahramas currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Mar Vista Family Center's Board of Directors.
Teresa Brooke Miller
Partner
Brooke Miller has over 20 years of experience helping her clients successfully navigate land use planning, zoning, entitlements, environmental, local government, and special districts law to expedite and defend their development projects. She leverages her expertise in state and local laws to help clients statewide secure development permits for housing, mixed-use, commercial, healthcare, energy storage, and other projects, minimizing risk whenever possible. Ms. Miller also successfully defends her clients in litigation under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Subdivision Map Act and the California Planning and Zoning Law, including in published appellate decisions from the 2nd and 6th District Courts of Appeal. Ms. Miller earned her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School and her BA from Claremont McKenna College, cum laude. Prior to joining Sheppard, she practiced in both the private and public sector. After almost a decade in private practice, primarily representing cities and special districts including water, transportation, and fire districts, Ms. Miller joined the Santa Cruz County Office of County Counsel as Assistant County Counsel. She later joined the San Diego County Counsel's office, advising staff and elected officials on land use and environmental laws. Ms. Miller has been recognized as a San Diego Daily Transcript Young Attorneys Award Finalist and received a Litigation Award from the County Counsels' Association of California in 2020. She has participated as an Expert Contributor for the California Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) CEQA Portal and is currently the co-chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) San Diego-Tijuana Women’s Leadership Initiative.
Barbara Machado
Associate
Barbara Machado’s practice focuses on real estate transactional and land use matters, including drafting purchase and sale agreements and lease agreements, as well as conducting land use due diligence. During law school, she served as a Judicial extern to the Honorable William V. Gallo of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, President of the Women's Law Caucus, and a Comments Editor for San Diego Law Review. Ms. Machado earned her J.D. and BBA (cum laude) from the University of San Diego. Ms. Machado regularly authors content addressing issues impacting real estate and land use for Sheppard’s blog.
Matthew R. Owens
Partner
Matthew Owens is a partner in the Business Trial Practice Group in the firm's San Diego office. Matt focuses his practice on trust, estate, and inheritance disputes. He has prosecuted and defended a wide range of private wealth matters, including trust contests, elder abuse actions, accountings, contested conservatorships, foundation disputes, and claims involving breach of fiduciary duty. Matt also advises trustees on complex trust administration. His clients include high net worth individuals and families, corporate trustees, foundations and their board members, and licensed professional fiduciaries. https://www.sheppard.com/people/matthew-owens
