Michael W. Shonafelt   |   Partner

Zoning and Land Use: Mr. Shonafelt has wide-ranging expertise in devising entitlement strategies for commercial, industrial, office and residential projects throughout California. His experience covers all areas pertaining to land use and zoning, including general plan amendments, zone changes, subdivisions, variances, vested rights, and due diligence reviews. He has appeared before multiple state and local jurisdictions on behalf of his clients and has litigated land use issues in both state and federal courts. He also has served as special counsel to local governmental agencies on highly complex and specialized areas of land use law, such as ballot box planning through the voter initiative process.

CEQA and NEPA: As part of his land use practice, Mr. Shonafelt has extensive experience developing strategies for compliance with CEQA and NEPA. He has led multi-disciplinary teams in the development of environmental impact reports and environmental impact statements and has provided extensive counsel to clients on compliance with the latest legal standards in CEQA and NEPA law. He has extensive experience litigating CEQA and NEPA issues.

Wireless Telecommunications: Mr. Shonafelt has special expertise in the permitting of wireless telecommunications facilities. He has spoken and written extensively on land use issues facing wireless telecommunications companies and has been quoted frequently, including, most recently, in Forbes magazine. He has represented the wireless industry in all areas pertaining to obtaining land use approval, securing legally unassailable administrative records and litigation on behalf of wireless companies in federal and state courts.

Coastal Act: Mr. Shonafelt has represented clients before the California Coastal Commission on a range of issues and has litigated Coastal Act issues, including issues pertaining to the scope of the Commission’s jurisdictional authority and issues pertaining to coastal development permits.

Municipal Law: Mr. Shonafelt has extensive experience in guiding both public entities and private-sector clients in the areas of municipal law, including the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, and the Political Reform Act of 1974.

Eminent Domain/Inverse Condemnation: Mr. Shonafelt has represented both public agencies and private landowners in eminent domain disputes, including issues pertaining to inverse condemnation, right-to-take challenges, precondemnation delay and loss of business goodwill claims.

Mr. Shonafelt has held partner positions at Allen Matkins and Nossaman, LLP.  He is an Eagle Scout and past member of the Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America, Orange County Council and the Board of Directors of the St. Thomas More Society of Orange County, CA.  He currently serves as a founding member of the Board of Directors of the California Wireless Association.

He received his J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1996, where he was a member of the Loyola Law Review, and studied with Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist in Loyola’s summer program at Trinity College, Cambridge, England. He received a M.A. in Education and a B.A. in Philosophy from California State University, Dominguez Hills.  He holds two bilingual education credentials from the State of California and is fluent in Spanish.