Best Lawyers Names Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger to 2026 Best Law Firms List
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger has been recognized for excellence in the 2026 edition Best Law Firms rankings. Best Lawyers, a peer-reviewed guide to lawyers and law firms in the U.S. and internationally, has once again recognized Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger as a Best Law Firm. The firm was previously recognized in 2025, 2024, 2022, and 2020. […]
SMW Partner Richard Taylor Named a Lawyer of the Year; Eight SMW Attorneys Again Named to Best Lawyers in America List
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger partner Richard S. Taylor has received the prestigious “2026 Lawyer of the Year” designation from the Best Lawyers Awards. This award is presented to a single lawyer in each practice area and geographic region. Mr. Taylor received this recognition for the environmental litigation practice area, in the San Francisco region. Mr. […]
Objective Design Standards Take On New Importance Under State Law
Developing Objective Design Standards (ODS) is a critical tool in your planning and zoning toolbox. Creating ODS can sound daunting, but it need not be. We explain why they are necessary, useful, and how ODS can help your community enable the development it wants to see.
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger Named to 2025 Best Law Firms List
SMW once again has been named a Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers, a peer-reviewed guide to lawyers and law firms in the U.S. The firm was previously named to this list in 2024, 2022, and 2020. As in previous years, the firm was again ranked as a highly prestigious National Tier 1 Best Law […]
SMW Again Ranked Top Tier Nationally Among “Best Law Firms”
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger has been named in the 2024 Best Law Firms® rankings by Best Lawyers, in several different categories. The firm has been named a highly prestigious National Tier 1 Best Law Firm in Land Use and Zoning Law. SMW was also named a Metropolitan Tier 1 Best Law Firm in San Francisco […]
Constitutional Limits to Abating Homeless Encampments, and Best Practices for a Cooperative Approach
California is home to nearly one-fourth of the nation’s unhoused population, and homelessness in California continues to rise. For example, according to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, from 2019 to 2022, California’s unhoused population increased from approximately 151,000 to 171,000. Of the 171,000 unhoused individuals counted in 2022, 67%, or 115,000 persons, […]
René Alejandro Ortega Joins Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger as New Partner
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger is pleased to announce that René Alejandro Ortega has joined the firm as a new Partner. “We are so pleased to have René join us here at Shute, Mihaly,” said Richard S. Taylor, Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger’s managing partner. “With his expertise in municipal law, housing, land use, and litigation, Rene […]
Staying on Top of the Surplus Land Act – Practice Tips After Recent Updates
When local agencies sell or lease their surplus land to others, California’s Surplus Land Act (SLA) (Government Code sections 54220 to 24234) requires them to prioritize that land for affordable housing, open space, and school use. Agencies must let affordable housing developers, local park and recreation districts and departments, and school districts know that the […]
Planning for Environmental Justice: Implementing SB 1000
A Valuable Tool for Equity Due in part to a long history of unequal land use planning and discriminatory housing and industrial policies, communities of color and low-income communities bear a disproportionate burden of environmental harms. Large polluting industries tend to be sited in or near these communities, leading to higher rates of long-term health […]
SMW Attorney Teaches Land Use Law at UC Berkeley School of Law
SMW Partner Andrew Schwartz taught Land Use Law at UC Berkeley School of Law for the Spring Semester 2021-2022 and will repeat the class Spring Semester 2022-2023. Mr. Schwartz also teaches Land Use Law at Stanford Law School.