KATIE NORIAN
LITIGATION
BIOGRAPHY
A. Catherine Norian is an attorney in Liner’s Litigation Group.
Katie focuses on compliance with land use laws and
regulations at the state and local levels, with particular
emphasis on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Tel. 213.694.3146
Fax. 213.694.3101
Email. [email protected]
633 W. 5th Street, 32nd Floor
US Bank Tower
Los Angeles, CA 90071.2005
Katie’s practice emphasizes counsel on entitlement strategies,
including the preparation of Environmental Impact Reports
and related documents, and project processing before lead
agencies in a manner that enables her clients to protect their
project approvals should they be challenged in litigation. She
has experience in all aspects of major land development,
including in planning and implementing all of the steps
necessary to guide individual projects and Master Planned
Communities from original design to entitlement, as well as
subsequent litigation challenges.
Katie has extensive experience defending project approvals
against litigation challenges in trial and appellate courts. Her
clients include both real estate developers and other private
parties, as well as public agencies. She has also defended
major property owners' rights under CEQA.
EDUCATION
University of California at Los Angeles, School of Law (J.D.)
Stanford University (B.S.)
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS & PUBLICATIONS
“The CEQA Guidelines Are Changing Again: This Time
Mostly For The Better?” September 2015
“The California Supreme Court Issues An Historic Opinion
Supporting Affordable Housing Ordinances,” June 2015
“So, You Think Your Land Dispute With the State Lands
Commission Will Be Heard By A Court? Think Again,” June
KATIE NORIAN
LITIGATION
2015
“Major Changes May Be Coming to Traffic Impacts Analyses
Under CEQA,” September 2014
“California Coastal Commission Can Impose Substantial
Monetary Penalties For Violations of the Coastal Act’s Public
Access Requirements,” September 2014
“Previously Protected Communications May Become Part of
CEQA Records,” Land Use Law Report, September 2013
“Watch What You Say... Lead Agency/Applicant
Communications Ruled Part of Administrative Record for
EIRs,” July 2013
“Update: The County of Los Angeles’ Draft Ordinances
Governing Hillside Management Areas and Significant
Ecological Areas,” February 2013
“Is Infill Development Always So Good and Greenfield
Development Always So Bad? Or Is Good Planning the
Key?” Los Angeles Daily Journal, February 2013
“A Review of This Year's CEQA and Other Land Use
Legislation,” January 2013
“Infill Development Is Getting Easier Under CEQA,” January
2013
“Streamlining CEQA Review to Promote AB 32 and SB 375's
Goals: The New CEQA Regulations,” January 2013
“Is Real CEQA Streamlining Coming for Infill Development?”
October 2012
“Recent Court Decisions Help to Clarify CEQA Issues,” July
2011
“California’s Latest Attempt to Streamline the California
Environmental Quality Act,” Paul Hastings, October 4, 2010
“California’s Amended CEQA Guidelines Mandate Analysis
of GHG Emissions, While Preserving Lead Agencies’
Discretion,” Paul Hastings, February 18, 2010
“California Supreme Court Upholds CALFED’s Bay-Delta
Program EIS/EIR,” Paul Hastings, June 12, 2008
“A Road Map for Water: A Court Finally Clears a CEQA
Water Supply Analysis,” Paul Hastings, December 7, 2007
“The California Attorney General’s Latest Settlement:
ConocoPhillips Company Agrees to Offset Greenhouse Gas
Emissions from Expanded Refinery,” September 24, 2007
“CEQA Warms to Climate Change: Analysis of Greenhouse
Gases Now Required,” Paul Hastings, August 28, 2007
KATIE NORIAN
LITIGATION
NEWS
January 20, 2017: Liner Super Lawyers 2017
Super Lawyers Magazine
September 1, 2016: Super Lawyer Standouts at Liner LLP
Super Lawyers
RECOGNITION
Southern California Super Lawyers (2013-2017)
COMMUNITY
American Bar Association Los Angeles County Bar Association
California State Bar Building Industry Association of Southern
California / Los Angeles-Ventura (2012 - 2014)
REPRESENTATIONS
Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project: Lead trial
counsel representing the owners of the City National Bank
Office Towers and Plaza located in downtown Los Angeles
challenging the EIR in state court under CEQA and co-trial
counsel challenging the EIS in federal court under NEPA for
this 1.9 mile subway project proposed by the Los Angeles
County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Lennar/Heritage Fields: A 4,600-acre Master Planned
Community located on the former El Toro Marine Corps Air
Station now located in Irvine, California. Katie provided
CEQA compliance advice through assistance in the
preparation of Supplemental Environmental Impact Reports
and other documents, and assistance with project
processing before the city of Irvine, resulting in project
approvals. She also successfully defended a CEQA lawsuit
filed to challenge a project approval, which settled
following a successful demurrer.
Entrada Office Building: A twelve-story office project
KATIE NORIAN
LITIGATION
proposed by CRP Centinela, LP in Culver City, California.
Katie provided CEQA compliance advice through assistance
in the preparation of the project's Environmental Impact
Report. She also successfully defended the project
approvals, including a height exception, in litigation
brought by neighbors, which resulted in an unpublished
decision issued by the Second District Court of Appeal.
Candlestick Point/Hunters Point Shipyard Phase II: The
redevelopment of the Candlestick Point and Hunters Point
Shipyard areas of southeastern San Francisco with
residential, commercial, retail, research and development
and mixed uses, and an area set aside for a new
professional football stadium. Katie's services for this project
included CEQA compliance advice and assistance in
planning and permitting activities. She also participated in
the successful defense and, following a trial that upheld the
project entitlements, the settlement of the CEQA litigation.
The Newhall Land and Farming Company/West Creek and
West Hills: An approximately 960-acre Master Planned
Community located in the Santa Clarita Valley in
unincorporated Los Angeles County, including
approximately 2,500 residential units and 180,000 square
feet of neighborhood-serving commercial uses, together
with recreational facilities, open space, community facilities
and a school.
Entitlement: Katie's services included CEQA compliance
through assistance in the preparation of an addition to
the Environmental Impact Report, and assistance with
project processing before the County of Los Angeles
resulting in project approval.
Litigation: Katie successfully defended the CEQA lawsuit
filed by environmental groups challenging the project
approvals, achieving success before both the trial court
and the Second District Court of Appeal. The Court of
Appeal issued a published opinion, Santa Clarita
Organization for Planning the Environment v. County of
Los Angeles (2007) 157 Cal.App.4th 149, upholding the
sufficiency of the project’s revised Environmental Impact
Report. This was the first published California Court of
Appeal decision to uphold a Water Resources
(supplies/demand) section in an Environmental Impact
Report, and the first published decision following the
California Supreme Court’s landmark opinion in Vineyard
Area Citizens for Responsible Growth, Inc. v. City of
Rancho Cordova (2007) 40 Cal.4th 412.
KATIE NORIAN
LITIGATION
The Newhall Land and Farming Company/River Village: An
approximately 700-acre master planned community located
in the City of Santa Clarita, California, including
approximately 1,000 residential units, a small commercial
component, recreational facilities, open space, and
community facilities.
Entitlement: Katie's entitlement services included CEQA
compliance advice through assistance in the preparation
of an extensive Environmental Impact Report, and
assistance with project processing before the City, which
resulted in project approval.
Litigation: Katie successfully defended the CEQA lawsuit
filed by multiple parties to challenge the project
approvals, achieving success before both the trial court
and the Second District Court of Appeal. The Court of
Appeal issued an unpublished opinion upholding the
sufficiency of the Environmental Impact Report's Water
Resources (supplies/demand) section under Vineyard
Area Citizens for Responsible Growth, Inc. v. City of
Rancho Cordova (2007) 40 Cal.4th 412, and its Biological
Resources section.
The Newhall Land and Farming Company/Entrada: An
approximately 500-acre site located in an unincorporated
area of Los Angeles County. 1,640 residential units, 750,000
square feet of commercial retail uses, parks, and associated
infrastructure. Katie's services included CEQA compliance.
The Newhall Land and Farming Company/Auto Mall: An
approximately 14-acre site located in the City of Santa
Clarita. Katie assisted the client in revising the project
entitlements to permit development of a portion of an auto
mall, including CEQA compliance. She successfully
defended the project approvals through the trial and a
settlement reached during appellate court proceedings.
Tejon Ranch Company/Tejon Industrial Complex East: An
approximately 11,000-acre industrial park located in
unincorporated southern Kern County, including 15 million
square feet of commercial and industrial development.
Entitlement: Katie's services included CEQA compliance
through the preparation of an addition to the
Environmental Impact Report, and assistance with project
processing before the County of Kern resulting in project
approval.
Litigation: Katie successfully defended the CEQA lawsuit
KATIE NORIAN
LITIGATION
filed by multiple parties challenging the project
approvals, ultimately achieving success before both the
trial court and the Fifth District Court of Appeal, which
issued an unpublished opinion upholding the sufficiency
of the project’s revised Environmental Impact Report.
Centennial Founders, LLC/Centennial: A “new town” to be
located in the western portion of the Antelope Valley in an
unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, including
approximately 23,000 residential units and 15 million
square feet of retail, office, commercial and industrial
development, together with all necessary schools, service
facilities, utilities and infrastructure on approximately 11,600
acres. Katie's services included CEQA compliance advice
through assistance in the preparation of a draft
Environmental Impact Report.
Vista Canyon Ranch, LLC/Vista Canyon Ranch: An
approximately 200-acre master planned community located
in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, including
1,200 residential units and 650,000 square feet of
commercial/mixed use development. Katie services
included CEQA compliance advice and assistance with the
proposed annexation and development agreement.
Marina Two Holding Partnership: Successful defense of an
approved residential project in the Marina del Rey area of
unincorporated Los Angeles County. Katie successfully
defended the project through the trial court, resulting in
settlements of several challenge favorable to the client,
including one settlement reached following a successful trial
while the case was on appeal before the Second District
Court of Appeal.
Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority:
Representation of the client in multiple litigation matters
and in providing CEQA compliance advice involving the
client’s property in Malibu, California.
Gregg’s Artistic Homes: Successful challenge to the City of
Glendale’s refusal to process timely a hillside residential
project, resulting in an extremely favorable settlement for
the client.