Holland & Knight Expands West Coast Land Use and Environmental Group with Addition of Tara Sullivan in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (January 5, 2026) – Holland & Knight has bolstered its West Coast Land Use and Environmental Group with the addition of Partner Tara Sullivan in San Francisco. Ms. Sullivan works on a variety of land use and real estate matters on behalf of major developers, property owners and lenders, and represents clients in all facets of land use, zoning and environmental law. She was previously a partner with Reuben, Junius & Rose LLP.
"We are delighted to welcome Tara to our team," said Jennifer Hernandez, leader of Holland & Knight's West Coast Land Use and Environmental Group. "She brings a wealth of knowledge about San Francisco's land use and historic preservation landscape, along with a proven track record of guiding complex development projects and shaping key legislation. Her collaborative approach and deep understanding of local regulations will only strengthen our ability to support clients across the region."
Ms. Sullivan has more than a decade of extensive land use and policy experience in urban planning, historic preservation and zoning in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Prior to going into the private sector, she worked at the San Francisco Planning Department for seven years. While at the department, she was a legislative liaison and policy analyst, where she worked with decision-makers at City Hall and served as appeals coordinator for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Conditional Use Authorization appeals at the Board of Supervisors, where she defended the department at hearings.
She has worked on dozens of pieces of legislation, most notably updating the city's Affordable Housing Program requirements, drafting charter language to establish the Historic Preservation Commission and amending two articles of the San Francisco Planning Code related to preservation.
In addition to her policy and legislative experience, Ms. Sullivan has worked on large development projects throughout San Francisco, working on several mixed-use projects in the city's South of Market area, including 88 Bluxome Street (Tennis Club site) and 725 Harrison Street. She has assisted owners and developers to create new housing, establish emerging technology businesses and work with developers to revitalize the downtown core post-COVID.
"Joining Holland & Knight is an exciting opportunity to bring my experience in land use policy and legislative work to a broader platform," Ms. Sullivan said. "San Francisco's planning environment requires creative solutions and a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks, and I look forward to collaborating with the team to help clients achieve their goals in this evolving landscape."
Ms. Sullivan received a J.D. degree from Brooklyn Law School, two M.S. degrees from Columbia University and a B.A. degree from Skidmore College.