About Geoffrey

Geoff Robinson focuses his practice on land use, development and real estate litigation. He represents clients in civil and administrative proceedings involving planning and zoning laws, CEQA, development fees and exactions, and public facilities financing. He is an authority on writs of mandate in the trial court and is co-author of the treatise California Administrative Mandamus (CEB, 3rd Ed. 2020) and other publications on civil writ practice. He also has substantial experience in the area of development mitigation and has litigated numerous cases involving challenges to development exactions, mitigation requirements and public financing districts. He has also handled a broad range of water law matters, including a ground water basin rights adjudication and appellate litigation involving the validity of a water supply assessment and an Urban Water Management Plan. Geoff has been an active participant in pro bono efforts, representing individuals, nonprofits and public agencies before state and federal courts, including several matters in the California Supreme Court. He is the recipient of the California State Bar President’s Pro Bono Award. Geoff served as law clerk to Judge Thomas J. MacBride of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California and as extern to Judge Joseph T. Sneed of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.Professional Recognition Listed in Super Lawyers, Northern California, 2004 - 2020 Recipient of President’s Pro Bono Award, State Bar of California, 1996 Recipient of John J. Curtin Public Service Award, 2006

Practice Areas

Education

• University of California Hastings College of the Law, JD, graduated 1983
• University of Virginia
• University of California Berkeley, BA, graduated 1978

Bar Admissions

• California, The State Bar of California
• United States, U.S. Supreme Court
• United States, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Languages