Services
Litigation
Environmental
Energy & Sustainability
Education
University of Southern California (J.D., 1990)
University of Illinois (M.S., 1985)
University of Illinois (B.S., 1983)
Admitted to Practice in California
Nicki Carlsen’s practice focuses on land use, environmental compliance and litigation. She has significant experience with
the federal, state and local regulations affecting development projects, including land use planning and subdivision laws,
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act and
endangered species acts.
Through her representation of residential, commercial and industrial developers, Nicki can navigate a course of action from
project inception to completion. Her land use experience extends to all project entitlements. This includes general plan
amendments, specific plans, development agreements, zone changes, subdivisions, conditional use permits, variances, and
grading, building and encroachment permits as well as specialized environmental permits, such as Section 404 permits and
"take" permits.
Nicki advises clients on how to comply with CEQA and NEPA statutes and oversees the adequacy of CEQA and NEPA documents. She
has successfully defended project approvals in the trial and appellate courts and has also successfully prosecuted actions on
behalf of property owners to obtain land use entitlements.
Nicki Carlsen’s practice focuses on land use, environmental compliance and litigation. She has significant experience with
the federal, state and local regulations affecting development projects, including land use planning and subdivision laws,
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act and
endangered species acts.
Through her representation of residential, commercial and industrial developers, Nicki can navigate a course of action from
project inception to completion. Her land use experience extends to all project entitlements. This includes general plan
amendments, specific plans, development agreements, zone changes, subdivisions, conditional use permits, variances, and
grading, building and encroachment permits as well as specialized environmental permits, such as Section 404 permits and
"take" permits.
Nicki advises clients on how to comply with CEQA and NEPA statutes and oversees the adequacy of CEQA and NEPA documents. She
has successfully defended project approvals in the trial and appellate courts and has also successfully prosecuted actions on
behalf of property owners to obtain land use entitlements.
She has represented developers of master planned communities as well as other mixed use, retail, residential and industrial
projects, including Ahmanson Land Company (Ahmanson Ranch), Apollo Real Estate (Sunset Millennium Project), Miller Brothers
Development Company (Dos Vientos Ranch), Rottman-Froman Communities (Oak Canyon Ranch), Home Depot, Centrum Properties and
The Boeing Company.
Nicki received her J.D. from the University of Southern California in 1990, and both her B.S. and M.S. from the University of
Illinois in 1983 and 1985, respectively.
February 17, 2004 "Time is Money in CEQA Cases," California Real Estate Journal, February 17, 2004.
