Geoffrey L. Robinson
Geoff focuses his practice on land use and development entitlements and related litigation.
Geoff Robinson represents clients in civil and administrative proceedings involving planning and zoning laws, CEQA, development fees and exactions, environmental remediation and public facilities financing. Geoff is an authority on writs of mandate in the trial court and court of appeal, and is co-author of the treatise California Administrative Mandamus (CEB, Third Edition - 2022) and other publications on civil writ practice. He also has substantial experience in the area of development mitigation and has assisted agencies in complying with the Mitigation Fee Act and litigated scores of cases involving challenges to development exactions, mitigation requirements and public facilities financing. Water law matters are also part of Geoff's practice, including a ground water basin rights adjudication and appellate litigation involving the validity of a water supply assessment and an Urban Water Management Plan.
Geoff has been an active participant in pro bono efforts, representing individuals, nonprofits and public agencies before state and federal courts, including several matters in the California Supreme Court. He is the former co-chair of the California Access to Justice Commission and has served on the boards of OneJustice and the California State Bar Foundation. He is the recipient of the California State Bar President's Pro Bono Award and the Margaret Sanger Award from Planned Parenthood Shasta-Diablo.
Geoff served as law clerk to Judge Thomas J. MacBride of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California and as extern to Judge Joseph T. Sneed of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Areas of focus
Education & Credentials
Education
- University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco, J.D., cum laude, 1983
- University of Virginia School of Law,
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 1978
Bar and Court Admissions
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California
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- All State and Federal Courts of California
Related Employment
- Bingham, San Francisco, CA, Partner
- Judicial Extern to The Hon. Judge Joseph T. Sneed of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Clerkships
- Judge Thomas MacBride, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
Professional Recognition
Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, 2007-2025
Listed in Super Lawyers Magazine as a "Northern California Super Lawyer," 2004-2023
Recipient of "President’s Pro Bono Award," State Bar of California, 1996
Recipient of "John J. Curtin Public Service Award," 2006
Impact
Professional Leadership
- Contra Costa Senior Legal Services, Board of Directors
Insights
News
Professional Experience
Land Use Experience
Urban Water Management Plan
Litigated successful appeals of actions challenging water supply assessment for specific plan area and challenging Urban Water Management Plan.
Regional Mall Developers
Defended city in state and federal courts in litigation brought by competing regional mall developers.
Natural Gas Pipeline Project
Represented public utility in original mandamus proceedings in California Supreme Court challenging natural gas pipeline project.
Regional Mental Health Facility
Brought successful challenge to city’s denial of regional mental health facility.
Port of San Diego, State Lands Commission and California Coastal Commission
Negotiation and processing of complex land exchange, environmental remediation and redevelopment program with the Port of San Diego, State Lands Commission and California Coastal Commission.
Builders in City of Tracy
Negotiated $8 million reimbursement of developer fees for builders in city of Tracy.
Land Use Permit for Refinery Activities
Represented industry groups in litigation successfully overturning (on appeal) county ordinance requiring a land use permit for refinery activities.
Various California Land Use Issues
Filed amicus briefs for California State Association of Counties and League of California Cities in various California Supreme Court cases involving land use issues.