Please join Stoel Rives partners Kristen Castaños and Timothy Taylor at the 2012 AEP Annual State Conference, May 6 - 9, 2012. Stoel Rives is a proud sponsor of this event. Timothy Taylor and paralegal Ha Nguyen will present Prepare Before The Lawsuit: The Planner's Interaction With Defense Counsel on May 7, 2012 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Litigation under both CEQA and NEPA has become extremely time- and cost-intensive for project applicants, agencies, and staff. The increased sophistication of writ practitioners, on both the petitioner/plaintiff side and the real party/respondent/defendant side, is largely responsible for these changes. In addition, a number of recent judicial decisions, and various changes to the governing rules and guidance, have in some cases streamlined, but in other instances actually complicated, the litigation process.

While most projects are never challenged in court, for those that are, environmental and land use planners, agency staff, and others need to understand the substantive and procedural nuances that will make or break the defense of a case. This panel of seasoned litigators and paralegals will provide a comprehensive overview of how to prepare a project for challenge well before the lawsuit is filed, including key steps to take with respect to the administrative record, document confidentiality and file maintenance, and the expanding use of joint defense arrangements. The panel will explore these and other important steps, insights, and tricks of the trade that can make all the difference.

For more information, click here.

2012 AEP Annual State Conference
When: May 6 - 9, 2012
Where: Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel, Sacramento, CA