Many attorneys can point to a thick book of business as evidence of their success. All Starrett needs to do is point at the Los Angeles skyline.
As the leader of Latham's Energy and Infrastructure Siting and Defense Practice, Starrett has led the firm's successful efforts in scoring some of Southern California's biggest landmark projects over the last few years, representing a combined investment of over $1 billion.
Construction is now underway on Ten Thousand Santa Monica, a $50 million residential high-rise tower project in Century City for which Starrett helped secure city approvals on behalf of developer Crescent Heights. Their proposed Palladium Residences plan culminated in a unanimous vote of approval from the Los Angeles City Council in March.
Starrett also represents the owners of the city's Major League Soccer franchise, the Los Angeles Football Club, and currently serves in an advisory role on the group's new soccer stadium in Exposition Park.
She's also Latham's lead representative with Westfield LLC, handling all permit matters for its million square foot mixed-use retail project known as the Village at Westfield Topanga in the Warner Center area of Los Angeles.
Because project approval is a public process, Starrett says the biggest challenge in her job is the pushback from local stakeholders who are concerned about change. Being able to anticipate their concerns over things like traffic or construction management and addressing them ahead of time can help a project move forward more smoothly. Working closely with the ever-busy public agency teams is also critical, as it ensures they have all the information they could need for a thorough administrative record.
"All this takes time, which is why the process of seeking project approvals in California often stretch over multiple years," Starrett said. "But with a commitment to transparency of information and proactive problem-solving, we can achieve success."
- Steve Crighton
For reprint rights or to order a copy of your photo:
Email
jeremy@reprintpros.com
for prices.
Direct dial: 949-702-5390
Send a letter to the editor:
Email: letters@dailyjournal.com