Jennifer L. Hernandez co-chairs Holland & Knight’s National Environmental Team and leads the West Coast Land Use and Environment Practice Group. She divides her time between the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices, and works on projects in Northern and Southern California, as well as the Central Valley. She has achieved national prominence in her work on brownfields redevelopment, wetlands and endangered species, and master planned community projects. She represents private, nonprofit and public sector clients, ranging from real estate developers and redevelopment agencies, to biotechnology and other operating industries, to communication and energy utilities. Ms. Hernandez serves on the firm's Directors Committee.
Ms. Hernandez also chairs a conference on Climate Change Law in California and has written and spoken extensively on major California climate change laws (including AB 32, SB 375 and SB 97) and emerging climate change regulations and guidance documents. Her climate change practice currently includes integrating climate change requirements into the environmental analyses (relating to greenhouse gas emissions as well as water supply, flood and fire risk, and other topical areas) required by the California Environmental Quality Act for new and modified projects and plans, and advising clients on legislative and regulatory proceedings pending in Sacramento, in various regional air districts, and in Climate Action Plans and other land use policies being developed by cities and counties.
She has taught land use and environmental law for the University of California and Stanford Law School and frequently speaks for client and lawyer professional associations and continuing education seminars.
She has written two books and more than 30 articles on environmental and land use law. She has received several professional awards, including an American Planning Association Award for her book, "A Practical Guide to the California Environmental Quality Act," the Greenlining Institute's "Big Brain Award" for developing a "New Paradigm that Intersects Environmental and Inner-City Economic and Health Goals," and the Yerba Buena Alliance's "Unsung Hero/Heroine Award" for work on Brownfields policies. Mayor Brown proclaimed October 9, 2002 as "Jennifer Hernandez Day in San Francisco" for her work on sustainable land use and for being a "warrior on the brownfield."
