Administrative
Report
H.8., File # 23-6040 Meeting Date: 5/9/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MICHAEL W. WEBB, CITY ATTORNEY
TITLE
APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT FOR LEGAL SERVICES WITH MEYERS NAVE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Jon Goetz, Senior Of Counsel, with the firm of Meyers Nave, a Professional Corporation, has provided the City of Redondo Beach with excellent real estate transactional legal services for close to 12 years. City Council’s approval of an Agreement for Legal Services with Meyers Nave will permit Jon Goetz to again provide such services at his current public agency rate.
BACKGROUND
The City Attorney’s office maintains a list of approved law firms and attorneys from which to select when special expertise is required on legal matters. Meyers Nave has been on the approved list since 2006. However, due to the age of the agreement, a new Agreement for Legal Services with the updated rate is presented for your approval. Jon Goetz joined Meyers Nave in 2017, but has provided real estate transactional legal services to the City for close to 12 years, including his tenure at another law firm.
Meyers Nave is a full-service law firm, providing legal and regulatory expertise in virtually all areas of law that impact public and private entities operating throughout California. Many of the firm’s attorneys and practice groups receive local, state and national recognition for their results and expertise. According to Law360, “Meyers Nave has flexed its muscle in the areas of the environmental law, labor and employment, land use, eminent domain and constitutional law. Meyers Nave’s ability to get large projects completed, secure major litigation wins and resolve crises landed the firm a spot among Law360’s California Powerhouses.” Meyers Nave’s Real Estate Practice attorneys serve the transaction, regulatory compliance and litigation needs of real estate owners, lenders, investors, developers, landlords, tenants and planners. Meyers Nave attorneys advise on the purchase, development, ownership, use, encumbering and transfer of land and real property interests. Meyers Nave’s clients include business entities, public agencies, family offices, nonprofits and public-private partnerships. Meyers Nave serves clients from offices in six major economic regions in California.
Meyers Nave assists clients with a comprehensive range of real estate transactions. For example, attorneys help structure, negotiate and close purchases, sales, sale-leasebacks, easements, licenses, and tax-deferred exchanges on all types of developed and undeveloped land, as well as
H.8., File # 23-6040 Meeting Date: 5/9/2023
licenses, and tax-deferred exchanges on all types of developed and undeveloped land, as well as conduct due diligence investigations and structure and negotiate financing and ground leasing agreements associated with these transactions. Meyers Nave help clients protect their interests, minimize liability, and meet their goals in a manner that facilitates the consummation of the agreement and furthers our clients’ business plan. Meyers Nave’s transactions experience includes acquisitions, dispositions and sale-leasebacks; Economic Development Benefits agreements (including disposition and development agreements and community benefit agreements); Development, redevelopment and rehabilitation; due diligence investigations; property encumbrances including easements; financing documents, including state and federal funds and tax credits; ground leases; leasing, licenses, assignment and subletting; partnership agreements for ownership, development and operations; property management and operations; and relocation (residential and commercial).
Jon Goetz is a Senior Of Counsel at Meyers Nave and is the only attorney from Meyers Nave who will be providing legal services to the City. Jon Goetz has 35 years of experience in real estate, land use, environmental, redevelopment, affordable housing and municipal law. Jon represents a broad spectrum of private-sector landowners and real estate developers, cities, counties, housing authorities, universities and other public entities in complex real estate transactions, land use planning, public-private development, infrastructure financing and affordable housing transactions.
He has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate transactions ― acquiring, financing, leasing and disposing of all forms of improved and unimproved real property, including public-use properties.
Jon has special expertise advising clients on California’s Density Bonus Law. He authors and annually updates the “Guide to the California Density Bonus Law,” which is a booklet that helps explain the intricacies of a complex law that is designed to increase the supply of affordable or senior housing.
Jon has served as lead attorney for a multitude of real property matters, including more than 50 commercial and retail projects, including construction and rehabilitation of regional and neighborhood shopping centers, hotels, theaters, “big box” stores, restaurants and auto dealerships, and numerous purchases and sales of residential, business and agricultural properties.
He also has advised on more than 150 housing developments and programs involving thousands of affordable and market rate housing units. His housing projects include a variety of housing types including affordable rental developments, mixed income for-sale housing communities, master planned communities and mixed use and transit-oriented developments, encompassing new construction, acquisition/rehabilitation and homebuyer programs.
It is the joint recommendation of the City Manager and City Attorney to engage Jon Goetz to provide transactional real estate services to the City, especially during the time it takes to fill the vacant position of Senior Deputy City Attorney.
COORDINATION
The Agreement for Legal Services has been approved by Meyers Nave and the City Attorney’s Office.
H.8., File # 23-6040 Meeting Date: 5/9/2023
FISCAL IMPACT
The billing rate specified in the Agreement for Legal Services is $440 per hour, which is Jon Goetz’ current Public Agency rate. The rate for small businesses and non-profits is $460 and for private clients is $570. Jon Goetz’ previous rate in 2017 was $280.
ATTACHMENTS
Agreement for Legal Services