Fernando Villa

Fernando Villa has significant land use, regulatory, real estate and litigation experience helping clients secure entitlements while mitigating development risk. He advises clients on entitlements and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for complex development projects and on reducing exposure to environmental liabilities.

Fernando’s entitlement work spans industrial, mixed-use, residential, commercial and retail developments. He is particularly experienced with Brownfield redevelopment, merging his knowledge of real estate development with a deep understanding of environmental regulation to help clients complete projects while mitigating environmental risks.

Partner

Fernando Villa

Los Angeles

310.312.4389

Services

Land Use

Office

Los Angeles, San Diego

On This Page

Bio

Fernando Villa

Fernando Villa has significant land use, regulatory, real estate and litigation experience helping clients secure entitlements while mitigating development risk. He advises clients on entitlements and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for complex development projects and on reducing exposure to environmental liabilities.

Fernando’s entitlement work spans industrial, mixed-use, residential, commercial and retail developments. He is particularly experienced with Brownfield redevelopment, merging his knowledge of real estate development with a deep understanding of environmental regulation to help clients complete projects while mitigating environmental risks.

Accomplishments

Speaker, “Land Acquisition & Risk Assessment Strategies,” Land & Homebuilding Capital Markets Forum (West), Las Vegas, NV, February 3, 2025

Moderator, “State of Healthcare CRE & Trends Influencing Decision Making,” Bisnow Southern California Healthcare Real Estate Summit, Culver City, CA, October 24, 2024.

Moderator, “Market Trends & Activity,” Bisnow, Southern California Industrial Conference, May 2, 2024.

Moderator, “How Do Statewide Changes in Land Use Law Matter to Municipalities?,” USC Real Estate Law and Business Forum, Los Angeles, CA, February 29, 2024.

Moderator, “Industrial Construction & Development Outlook,” Bisnow’s Inland Empire and Desert Markets Deep Dive, July 13, 2023.

Speaker, “Bisnow Healthcare West: Enhancing the Patient Experience,” Bisnow Healthcare, October 6, 2022.

Speaker, “2022 USC Gould School of Law Real Estate and Business Forum,” USC Gould School of Law, April 7, 2022.

Speaker, “Bisnow Digital Summit: Southern California Health Care Update,” Bisnow, March 9, 2021.

Speaker, “Living With COVID-19: Perspectives on Operating and Developing Multi-Family Projects in the COVID Era,” USC Gould School of Law, October 29, 2020.

Best Lawyers in America, 2016–2023

Admitted to practice in the state of California

Member, American Bar Association Taxation Section

Member, American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law

Quoted, “SoCal Healthcare Development Running into Cost, Compliance Challenges,” Bisnow, October 29, 2024.

Featured, “Manatt Adds Land Use Pro From Allen Matkins In LA,” Law360, February 17, 2023.

Featured, “Land use lawyer joins Manatt’s expanding real estate practice,” Daily Journal, February 16, 2023.

California

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D.

University of California, Los Angeles, B.A.

Related Practices

Services

Environmental Litigation

Real Estate Litigation

Los Angeles Government and Land Use

Industries

Manatt Energy and Environment

Manatt Real Estate

Climate Change and Clean Energy

Environment

Land Use

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