Arent Fox Welcomes Powerhouse Real Estate Team Led by Timothy A. Tosta to Growing San Francisco Office

A preeminent real estate authority in Bay Area development, Mr. Tosta procures land use entitlements for some of California’s most complex development projects. His recent headline grabbing work includes advising on the Facebook Headquarters Project, the Menlo Gateway Project, the 10th & Market Project, which introduced high-rise housing into San Francisco’s Civic Center, and the conversion of a downtown furniture mart for office and technology use, which is now home to Twitter headquarters.

“Tim and his team are a great addition for Arent Fox,” said Managing Partner Matt Clark. “Tim is one of the top land use lawyers in the country and he knows how to assist his clients in achieving their real estate development objectives. His innovative strategies and creative solutions for complex projects are precisely the type of service that Arent Fox provides clients in one of the firm’s signature practice areas.”

Previously a partner at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP in San Francisco, Mr. Tosta’s understanding of the fundamental needs and requirements of California’s communities has distinguished his work and enabled him to lead a wide variety of entitlement projects across California, including the five-star Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara, an exclusive Palm Springs residential/golf community, a major San Luis Obispo County shopping center, a rare Lake Tahoe interval ownership resort, a hilltop Malibu residential community, and a unique master plan for 10,000 acres on the Orange County coast. In addition, he recently implemented a strategy to improve relations between environmentalists and one of California’s leading technology companies.

Recognized as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers USA and Legal 500, the diversity of Mr. Tosta’s experience in product types, geography, regulatory agencies, environmental issues, and political cultures allows him to build strong entitlement teams and strategies, while working in partnership with clients to secure project approvals.

“I am pleased to be able to welcome Tim, Steve, and Frank to the San Francisco office and the Real Estate group,” said San Francisco-based Real Estate and Corporate & Securities partner and Sports group leader Richard L. Brand. “Their addition solidifies our strength in development work and complements the firm’s growth in real estate finance and transactions.” Mr. Tosta’s arrival follows the recent additions of real estate finance partners Mark S. Fawer and Carolyn Austin in New York, David M. Martin in Washington, DC, and M.J. Pritchett in San Francisco.

Mr. Tosta is also an accomplished land use litigator, having defended in court the entitlements he has obtained, including successfully arguing Citizens of Goleta Valley v Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County — one of the state’s most significant California Environmental Quality Act decisions before the California Supreme Court — and he obtained an eminent domain settlement from the City and County of San Francisco, which is believed to be the largest recovery in California’s history for a single parcel.

Chambers USA and Legal 500 consistently rate Arent Fox’s Real Estate practice for its “top-quality” talent and industry-leading capabilities across a broad range of sectors. With more than 60 attorneys focused on the real estate industry, Arent Fox is recognized nationally for its work counseling capital investors, developers, owners, lenders, and REITs in real estate finance, joint venture, development, and acquisition and disposition matters on both an individual asset and portfolio basis.