OVERVIEW

California land owners consistently turn to Dean E. Dennis to represent them in land use and eminent domain disputes with the government.

With many published decisions on property rights from California’s Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court that bear his name, Dean handles the most complex, cutting edge and contentious real property and land development cases.

In addition to broad experience in all aspects of eminent domain and inverse condemnation, Dean has tackled wide and varied problems in California’s complex and, at times, oppressive regulation of private property. He has worked on zoning, planning, and development permitting in numerous jurisdictions as well as navigating the choppy waters of the California Coastal Act and California Environmental Quality Act.

Dean has handled easement and property line disputes, public trust land issues, conservation programs and title issues. He has an understanding of all aspects of real estate valuation, including condemnation cases involving the loss of business goodwill.

Professional and Legal Leadership

Dean serves as the Managing Attorney for Hill, Farrer & Burrill.

Additionally, he previously served as Chairman of the California’s Committee of Bar Examiners; Commissioner for the State Bar’s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation; a member of the State Bar’s Special Task Force on Civility in the Practice of Law; and a member of the Judicial Council Court Facilities Transitional Task Force. Dean has also been a guest lecturer for USC Gould School of Law and as a long-time planning committee member for the annual USC Symposium on Real Estate Law and Business.

Dean attended Princeton University and USC Law School. He is admitted to practice in California, numerous federal jurisdictions, the U.S. Tax Court and the United States Supreme Court.

Published Decisions

In the property rights field, Dean has been involved in multiple published decisions:

Cuna Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. L.A. County MTA, 108 Cal. App. 4th 382, where Dean represented the historic El Capitan theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.

Alameda Belt Line v. City of Alameda, 113 Cal. App. 4th 15, where Dean represented the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Company.

Southern California Rapid Transit District v. Bolen,1 Cal. 4th 654, where Dean represented the landowners in a challenge to a downtown LA transit assessment district.

Surfside Colony Association’s landmark defeat of the Coastal Commission in Surfside Colony Ltd. v. California Coastal Commission, 226 Cal.App.3d 1260.

A railroad title issue of statewide importance before the California Supreme Court in City of Manhattan Beach v. Superior Court (Farquhar),13 Cal.4th 232.

An appeal involving the LAUSD’s use of eminent domain for the Ambassador Hotel, LAUSD v. Trump Wilshire Associates, 42 Cal.App.4th 1682.

An eminent domain case before the California Supreme Court, City of Vista v. W. O. Fielder, et al., 13 Cal.4th 612.

Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Hawthorne v. Force Electronics, 55 Cal.App.4th 622, where the Court of Appeal published, as its decision, Dean’s Opening Brief in an eminent domain case.