Andrew Starrels Joins Holland & Knight’s West Coast Land Use and Environmental Practice in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (May 24, 2017) – Andrew J. Starrels has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in the firm’s West Coast Land Use and Environmental Practice Group in Los Angeles. Mr. Starrels’ practice focuses on providing both business and legal advice related to most aspects of the development and operation of real estate, including the feasibility and entitlement of large developments. In joining Holland & Knight, he combines his own practice as a principal of Starrels Law, A Professional Corporation, and that of a companion consulting practice, MarketSquare Real Estate Consulting, Inc.
Mr. Starrels’ experience involves all manner of commercial real estate investment and operation, ranging from land use, entitlements and zoning to acquisition, disposition, finance, development and leasing. He also has provided real estate consulting services with respect to site evaluation, feasibility analysis, due diligence, repositioning and renovation, loan structuring and construction management/supervision. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Mr. Starrels has held positions at large law firms as well as in-house positions, including as general counsel for a major real estate development company.
“Andrew is a seasoned real estate executive and lawyer with proven transactional and operations experience across all phases of investment and development,” said Jennifer Hernandez, the leader of Holland & Knight’s West Coast Land Use and Environmental Practice Group. “He is a significant strategic addition to our team and will be instrumental in growing our practice in Southern California.”
“Holland & Knight is a leader in land use and environmental law in California,” said Mr. Starrels. “My clients will benefit from the collective experience and knowledge of Jennifer’s team, as well as the broad resources of such a large multidisciplinary firm. Our goal in this recommitment to a land use and development presence in the Los Angeles marketplace is to interpose an entrepreneurial and pragmatic responsiveness to our clients’ needs in all aspects of real estate development, and to combine the depth and skill of a national platform with the flexibility of more boutique-oriented firms.”
Mr. Starrels received a J.D. degree from Cornell Law School, a Master of Regional Planning degree from Cornell University and an A.B. degree in urban and economic geography from the University of California, Berkeley.
Holland & Knight has extensive knowledge in all aspects of land use and environment law, from zoning and entitlements to acquisitions and project development, as well as compliance assessments and environmental impact reports. The firm’s attorneys and professionals have experience addressing issues related to water quality, due diligence, entitlements, brownfields, wetlands, endangered species, historical preservation, health and safety, hazardous materials, biotechnology, insurance and litigation.