Mitchell M. Tsai Attorney

First Admitted: 2011, California

Professional Webpage: https://mitchtsailaw.com/

Bar/Professional Activity:

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California.
United States District Court for the Central District of California
California Supreme Court

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

Obtained favorable settlement of Arroyo Seco Foundation et al v. County of Los Angeles (LASC Case No. BS152772 / 2DCA Case No. B288034, LASC Case No. BS171826) on behalf of clients Arroyo Seco Foundation and Pasadena Audubon Society with the County of Los Angeles regarding the Devil's Gate Dam Sediment Removal Project, a $500 million dam maintenance project. This resulted in increased habitat preservation, reduced air quality impacts and enhanced the environmental and recreational resources at Hahamongna Watershed Park. The settlement received significant media coverage, some of which can be seen at https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2020/07/08/after-lengthy-legal-battle-pasadena-groups-victorious-at-devils-gate-dam/, 2020
Obtained favorable settlement in Climate Resolve v. California Department of Transportation (LASC Case No. BS166680) between the California Department of Transportation and Climate Resolve, halting the highway portion of the proposed High Desert Corridor Project. The settlement received significant media coverage, some of which can be seen here https://la.streetsblog.org/2019/10/02/caltrans-settles-environment-lawsuit-cancels-high-desert-freeway-project/, 2019
Obtained Writ of Mandate in Lydia Ponce v. City of Los Angeles (LASC Case No. BS169426) halting construction of a proposed warehouse on the former site of the South Central Farm, which at one point was the largest urban farm in the United States. The case received significant media coverage, some of which can be seen here at https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-farm-ruling-20180809-story.html., 2018
Obtained Writ of Mandate issued in Arroyo Seco Foundation & Pasadena Audubon Society v. County of Los Angeles (BS152771), et al in favor of clients Arroyo Seco Foundation and Pasadena Audubon Society halting the Devil's Gate Dam Sediment Removal Project, a $500 million dam maintenance project that had been set to remove someof the last remaining wetlands habitat in Southern California. The win attracted notable media coverage, which can be seen here at https://www.scpr.org/news/2017/03/23/70136/environmentalists-win-temporary-halt-to-devil-s-ga/, 2017
Obtained favorable settlement of SAJE v. City of Los Angeles (LASC Case No. BS166691), a challenge to the City's approval of a $1.2 billion redevelopment project at 1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA, known as The Reef / LA Mart that resulted in tripling the amount of affordable housing required for the Project. The settlement received significant media attention, some of which can be seen here at http://www.ladowntownnews.com/development/at-the-reef-mega-project-a-battle-and-resolutiorticle_613c06b4-b068-11e7-9e04-b798a88b60ee.html, 2017

Educational Background:

University of Southern California, B.A. in International Relations with a Minor in Gender Studies, Trojan Debate Squad, 4 year scholarship member for Policy Debate., 2005
Lewis & Clark Law School Portland, OR, J.D. & Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources May, 2010, Managing Editor of Environmental Law

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Article concerning the use of Vehicle Miles Traveled over Level of Service as a metric for determining Transportation impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act. , Author, Concerns about a CEQA Reform That Favors Multimodal Transportation, Los Angeles Lawye, 2015
Fellowship program providing leadership and communications training to develop leadership skills for first and second generation Americans. , Southern California Leadership Network, 2013-2014 New American Leaders Fellow, 2014
Article discussing the use of Indirect Source Review authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate Port Pollution. , Author, The Ports of Los Angeles And Long Beach Backstop Rule: An Indirect Way For States To Make Polluters Live Up To Their Commitments, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Air Quality Committee Newsletter, 2015
Article discussing the use of delegated federal authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate air pollutant transportation sources in Southern California, The Ports of Los Angeles And Long Beach Backstop Rule: An Indirect Way For States To Make Polluters Live Up To Their Commitments, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Air Quality Committee Newsletter, 2015
Article discussing case law concerning administrative record preparation under the California Environmental Quality Act. , Author, Til The Well Runs Dry: Administrative Record Preparation Cost Recovery Under The California Environmental Quality Act, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Energy and Natural Resources Litigation Committee Newslette, 2014
Mitchell M. Tsai, “CEQA ‘Reform’ Begins To Take Hold” Los Angeles Daily Journal (Aug. 25, 2014)., Author, CEQA ‘Reform’ Begins To Take Hold, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2014
Gideon Kracov, Shufan Sung, & Mitchell M. Tsai, “Can Citizen Suits Help China Battle Pollution” Los Angeles Daily Journal (Jan. 8, 2014)., Co-Author, Can Citizen Suits Help China Battle Pollution, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2014
Article discussing the State's proposed transition from Level of Service to Vehicle Miles Traveled CEQA transportation analysis., Author, Concerns about a CEQA Reform That Favors Multimodal Transportation, LA Lawyer Magazine, 2015

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