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Cecily T. Barclay

Profile photo for Cecily T. Barclay
Profile photo for Cecily T. Barclay
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Cecily T. Barclay

  • San Francisco
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An authority on real estate and land use law, Cecily counsels developers, landowners, and public agencies on complex legal and regulatory challenges associated with acquisition, entitlement, and development of land throughout California.

Cecily Barclay advises clients on land use and entitlements, real estate acquisition and development, and local government law matters. She assists with land use application processing, drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, and negotiating and securing the approval of development agreements. She also handles general plan amendments, annexations, initiatives and referendums, and tentative and final subdivision maps.

Cecily's projects include redevelopment of land for market rate and affordable housing, life science campuses, hotels and resorts, and transit-oriented mixed-use development projects. She has significant experience in processing entitlements for redevelopment and expansion of regional retail centers, resort hotels, entertainment centers, biotech/R&D campuses, large mixed-use master-planned communities, and multifaceted reuse of former military facilities and other infill development sites. Her work involves advising on land use initiatives, negotiating school fee mitigation agreements, preparing conservation easements to mitigate for loss of biological resources, and drafting affordable housing programs, Williamson Act contracts, and related issues pertaining to agricultural properties.

Cecily works with local agencies on drafting ordinances relating to updating general plans and housing elements, planned development zoning, specific plans, mitigation fees, affordable housing, and growth management. She focuses on how agencies and developers can apply state housing laws, particularly anti-NIMBY (Housing Accountability Act) and density bonus laws.

Cecily is a lead author of Curtin's California Land Use & Planning Law, a publication summarizing the major provisions of California's land use and planning laws. Cecily also co-authored Development by Agreement, an ABA publication providing a national analysis of laws and practices concerning various forms of development agreements. She regularly speaks and writes on topics involving land use and local government law, including programs and articles for the American Bar Association, American Planning Association, Urban Land Institute, and other state and national associations and conferences.

Education & Credentials

Education

  • Harvard Law School, J.D., with honors, 1988
  • University of California, Berkeley, B.A., with highest honors, 1983

Bar and Court Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Related Employment

  • Bingham McCutchen LLP, San Francisco, CA, Associate, Counsel, and Partner, 1990-2011

Professional Recognition

  • Listed in Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Environmental Lawyers, 2024 

  • Ranked by Chambers USA: "America’s Leading Lawyers" for Business, 2006-2010; "America’s Leading Lawyers" for Real Estate, 2011-2024

  • Received the "Readers’ Choice Award," JD Supra: Thought Leadership in Construction Law, 2021 

  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Energy Law; Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law, 2007-2025

  • Selected as "Leading Lawyer," Legal 500 US, California North: Land Use and Zoning, 2009, 2014

  • Recommended by The Legal 500: Industry Focus: Real Estate and construction: Land use/zoning, 2015

  • Listed in the Daily Journal's Top Women Lawyers, 2016

  • Listed in Super Lawyers, Northern California, 2004-2020, 2024

  • Named San Francisco Land Use & Zoning Law Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers, 2012

  • Honoree for Northern California Real Estate Women and Influence, 2011

  • Selected as "Top East Bay Land Use Attorney," East Bay Business Times, 2006-2008

Impact

Professional Leadership

  • American Bar Association, Publications Oversight Board, 2009-2018
  • American Bar Association 
  • San Francisco Bar Association 
  • Contra Costa County Bar Association 
  • Urban Land Institute 
  • American Planning Association
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