NICOLAS R. CARDELLA
NICOLAS R.
CARDELLA
Mr. Cardella’s practice focuses on environmental law, land use law, water law, and public agency law. He has demonstrated expertise in litigation, counseling, and regulatory defense. He regularly litigates civil cases and appeals in state and federal court involving complex environmental, land use, regulatory, and civil rights issues. He advises public and private entities on real property transactions. He has substantial experience advising public agencies and municipalities on matters of governance, ethics, and policy, and regularly appears before decision-making bodies as an advocate. He also has significant experience prosecuting and defending regulatory enforcement proceedings under a broad range of environmental laws.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
California Environmental Quality Act & Local Land Use Laws
- Successfully prosecuted and defended numerous writ petitions challenging development projects under the California Environmental Quality Act and state and local land use laws;
- Regularly appears before local planning and legislative bodies to advocate on behalf of project proponents and opponents.
Real Property Transactions
- Draft, and provide advice regarding, development agreement for large-scale residential development project.
- Advise non-profit organization regarding commercial real estate transaction and draft purchase and sale agreement, deed of trust, and promissory note for same.
- Draft, and provide advice regarding, license agreement for event venue business.
- Draft and negotiate commercial and residential lease agreements.
- Draft water wheeling and transfer agreements for irrigation district.
Regulatory Enforcement
- Prosecuted and settled administrative enforcement cases for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act;
- Prosecuted code enforcement and nuisance abatement cases for municipalities under local municipal codes and state law.
Public Agency Representation
- Serves as General Counsel to hospital district and Assistant General Counsel to a variety of water and irrigation districts, including the Madera Irrigation District;
- Serves as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Mendota, and previously for the City of Visalia;
- Provides ethics training (AB 1234) for local government officials and Fourth Amendment search and seizure training to code enforcement staff and police officers;
- Provides advice regarding compliance with the Public Records Act, the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, and the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
Administrative Advocacy
- Draft comment letters and appear at hearings to advocate for interests of water and irrigation districts in proceedings before the State Water Resources Control Board and Department of Water Resources
Admissions
- All California state courts
- United States District Court, Eastern District of California
Education
- Juris Doctor, Fordham University Law School, 2014
- Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy and Italian Studies, Santa Clara University, 2008
HONORS & PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- Mr. Cardella is a member of the Tulare County Bar Association, the Fresno County Bar Association, the California Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. In addition, Mr. Cardella serves as Secretary for the Association of Environmental Professionals, Central Chapter Board of Directors.