A Strategic Partner in Complex Development
Derek Galey is a Los Angeles land use and environmental attorney with over a decade of experience advising on complex development, infrastructure, housing, and public process matters across California. His practice focuses on environmental review, entitlement strategy, real estate transactions, and regulatory compliance at the municipal, county, state, and federal levels.
Before founding Galey Law, Derek practiced at Latham & Watkins, Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac, Sheppard Mullin, and Somos Law Group, and served as Land Use Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. He advises clients not only on what the law requires, but on how approvals, negotiations, and implementation actually move forward in the real world.
Galey Law advises on CEQA compliance and environmental review strategy, land use entitlements and regulatory approvals, affordable housing and density bonus issues, real estate and development transactions, and related planning, zoning, and implementation matters. The practice also includes counseling on State Density Bonus Law and other housing and entitlement streamlining tools, including strategies for navigating complex approvals pathways, coordinating with agencies and consultants, and building defensible records for projects that may face scrutiny.
We represent developers, landowners, nonprofits, public agencies, institutional clients, and other stakeholders involved in complex land use, environmental, and development matters.
Derek holds law and urban planning degrees from Harvard University and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study sustainable urban development in Reykjavik, Iceland. He is admitted to practice in California and the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
Areas of Expertise
Real Estate and Development Counsel
Supporting acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, due diligence, and project related transactions with land use and implementation issues in mind.
Supporting acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, due diligence, and project related transactions with land use and implementation issues in mind.
Public Agency, Policy, and Process Matters
Advising on Brown Act, Public Records Act, procurement, public process, policy formulation, ordinances and resolutions, hearing support, and related municipal and public agency iss
Advising on Brown Act, Public Records Act, procurement, public process, policy formulation, ordinances and resolutions, hearing support, and related municipal and public agency iss
Strategic Land Use and Entitlement Counsel
Advising on zoning, entitlements, development agreements, hearing strategy, and approvals pathways for complex projects.
Advising on zoning, entitlements, development agreements, hearing strategy, and approvals pathways for complex projects.
CEQA and Environmental Review Strategy
Structuring environmental review, exemption strategy, consultant coordination, and defensible records for projects facing complex regulatory and political conditions.
Structuring environmental review, exemption strategy, consultant coordination, and defensible records for projects facing complex regulatory and political conditions.
Housing, Density Bonus, and Streamlining Tools
Advising on density bonus eligibility, ministerial and streamlined approval pathways, housing accountability protections, and CEQA strategy for affordable and mixed-income projects
Advising on density bonus eligibility, ministerial and streamlined approval pathways, housing accountability protections, and CEQA strategy for affordable and mixed-income projects
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For inquiries related to land use, environmental, or development matters, please get in touch.