Jeffrey Harlan
Of Counsel
A creative problem solver, writer, advocate, and strategist, Jeff Harlan thoughtfully guides developers, public agencies, and private organizations through land use planning efforts. He brings a unique perspective to challenging land use and regulatory problems in California, shaped by his experience as a local elected official, planning commissioner, director for a state land conservancy, attorney, and private planning consultant. With over 25 years of knowledge and expertise, Mr. Harlan draws on his varied background to counsel real estate developers and property owners on all aspect of development, from due diligence and entitlement processing to community engagement and litigation strategies. Mr. Harlan earned his BA in Design of the Environment from the University of Pennsylvania, and J.D. from Vermont Law School, where his focused on environmental and land use law. In addition to his private practice at law firms and planning consultancies, he has enjoyed a career working with and within government agencies. Elected in 2020, Mr. Harlan is a city councilmember for the City of Costa Mesa, and also served as the city's Planning Commission Vice Chair for four years. He began his public service over two decades ago as the deputy to District and Environmental Policy to Los Angeles City Councilmember Ruth Galanter, where he focused on local planning issues, citywide sustainable development and smart growth initiatives, and legislation. Mr. Harlan also served as the planning director for the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, developing plans and strategies to administer $40 million in bond funding for the creation of a 1,400-acre park in Los Angeles.
Jonathan Henry Riker
Counsel
Jonathan Riker’s practice focuses on land use, planning and zoning regulations, government administrative law, local housing laws, building code enforcement, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance. He guides his clients through the land use entitlement process, including developers of multifamily housing, mixed-use, hospitality, and cannabis projects. Mr. Riker frequently conducts land use and environmental due diligence for perspective real estate sellers and purchasers and assists property owners in removing a variety of code violations imposed by local government agencies. He has significant experience in implementation of the State Ellis Act and housing-related issues, including Density Bonus law. Mr. Riker is a recognized local CEQA expert and was one of the first attorneys in Los Angeles to become an Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP). Educational History • Master of Urban and Regional Planning, University of New Orleans, 2002 • J.D., Tulane University Law School, 1998 • BA in Sociology, Columbia University, 1989 Professional Memberships and Activities • Instructor, Environmental Law, UCLA Extension Public Policy Program • Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP), U.S. Green Building Council
Jas Sangra
Associate
Jas Sangra is an associate attorney with the San Francisco and LA offices of Venable LLP, where he advises high-net-worth individuals and their related business entities on intricate wealth planning strategies, with a focus on cross-border tax, trust, estate, and probate law. Mr. Sangra manages complex cross-border transactions for multinational clients, aligning their business objectives with international laws and regulatory requirements. He is experienced in devising and executing measures to minimize income, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, safeguarding family assets from undue risk. Mr. Sangra also advises businesses on cross-border expansion, including the tax aspects of immigration and emigration planning. Mr. Sangra holds a BA from the University of British Columbia and a J.D. from the University of Victoria. He is licensed to practice law in California and British Columbia, Canada. Mr. Sangra is an instructor in the CP - Canada In-Depth Tax Program, a comprehensive training program offered to aspiring tax lawyers and accountants by the national organization representing the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) profession in Canada. He is also a frequent speaker on a variety of tax and estate planning issues.
