Remy, Thomas, Moose and Manley LLP is a law partnership focusing on land use and environmental law since 1982.

Mr. Wilkins joined Remy, Thomas, Moose and Manley in 2005 and is now a senior counsel in the firm. His practice focuses on land use and environmental law. Mr. Wilkins handles all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation. Mr. Wilkins’s practice covers the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the Subdivision Map Act, the Williamson Act, the California Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the federal Endangered Species Act, the federal Clean Water Act, waste management, water law, administrative law, as well as initiative and referendum law.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Wilkins worked as an attorney for the Law Offices of Clayeo C. Arnold representing clients in mediations, settlement conferences, court hearings and all aspects of the litigation process. From 1999 to 2004, he was an associate attorney in the complex litigation and litigation groups at Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard, where he represented public and private clients in state and federal court proceedings involving a broad range of matters, including inverse condemnation, eminent domain, contracts, products liability, unfair competition, and class actions. While working at Kronick, Mr. Wilkins volunteered for a month at the Yolo County District Attorney’s office, handling hearings, bench trials and a jury trial. Before entering law school, he served in various positions in the political arena, including research director for a state political party, political consultant and campaign manager.

Mr. Wilkins taught at the State Bar of California Environmental Law Section, “Land Use Where the Forest Meets the Sea, Your Voice, Your Future” Conference in Arcata, CA in May 2008.

Representative matters include:

• Represented Riverside County in defense of challenge to its adoption of 2002 General Plan and inverse condemnation claims. Successfully settled the matter after filing a Motion for Summary Adjudication and a Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings on behalf of County. The case was settled on favorable terms for the County, and the General Plan remained valid.
• Represented Contra Costa County in defense of two challenges to its CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator program fees and refund claims. Successfully settled the matter after filing demurrer on behalf of County. The case was settled on favorable terms for the County, and the fees remained valid.
• Represented Home Depot in successfully navigating CEQA and local land use entitlement processes to obtain a conditional use permit for home improvement store from Placer County. Despite vocal opposition during the permitting process, the project did not draw any litigation. The entitlements sought included a tentative parcel map, design review, demolition permit, grading permit, building permits, encroachment permit from Caltrans, Asbestos Dust Mitigation Plan, approval for a piped canal, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and Nationwide 404 Permit.
• Represented California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) in defense of petition for a writ of mandate and declaratory relief claims relating to whether it was exempt from annual water-related assessments. The case was settled on favorable terms for DFG as DFG was not required to pay any past or future assessments and incurred no financial obligations to the plaintiffs.
• Representing Yuba County Water Agency in defense of federal Endangered Species Act claims. The case involves a challenge to several Biological Opinions regarding Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (“spring Chinook”), Central Valley steelhead (“steelhead”), and southern Distinct Population Segment of North American green sturgeon (“green sturgeon”) on the Yuba River. The plaintiffs have alleged separate Section 9 “take” violations against the Agency.

Mr. Wilkins graduated in 1995 from the Santa Clara University, with a B.S. in Political Science. He obtained his J.D. from King Hall – University of California, Davis Law School – in 1999.