Kristina Lawson is Hanson Bridgett’s Managing Partner and Chair of the firm's Management Committee. As the firm’s chief executive, Kristina is responsible for all aspects of the firm’s strategy and management. She is the first female Managing Partner in Hanson Bridgett’s 60+ year history.

Known in the legal industry and beyond as a progressive and collaborative leader, Kristina has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Bay Area’s Most Influential Women in Business. In 2021, Corporate Counsel recognized her with a Women, Influence, and Power in Law – Managing Partner of the Year honor. Kristina is a proud member of the Bay Area Council’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and currently serves as the co-chair of the Bay Area Council’s Government Relations Committee.

Over the course of her career, Kristina has been deeply committed to public service. She is a former Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, a city of approximately 65,000 residents located east of San Francisco in the greater Bay Area region. In 2015, Kristina was appointed by California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. to serve on the Medical Board of California, where she currently serves as the Board’s President.

Prior to her election as Managing Partner, Kristina served as the leader of the firm’s Real Estate + Environment Section. She is an expert in complex California entitlement, land use, environmental/natural resources and municipal matters, and a respected statewide authority on California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance and strategy. She has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Superlawyers.

Bar Admissions

• California

Education
J.D., cum laude, Santa Clara University School of Law (2002)
B.A., University of Arizona (1998)

Professional Associations

• Medical Board of California, President
• Federation of State Medical Boards, Member and Voting Delegate
• Bay Area Council - Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Government Relations Committee Co-Chair
• State Bar of California
• Contra Costa County Bar Association
• American Bar Association

Professional Activities and Experience
Accolades

• Managing Partner of the Year—Law Firm, Corporate Counsel (2021)
• Federation of State Medical Boards, Award of Merit (2022)
• Best Lawyers in Northern California - Land Use & Zoning Law, Best Lawyers® (2019-2022)
• Inspirator Award, The Bay Area CREW Chapters and The Registry's ELEVATE Awards (2020)
• Most Influential Women in the Bay Area, San Francisco Business Journal (2019-2020)
• The Best Lawyers in America©, Land Use & Zoning Law (2019, 2023)
• Northern California Super Lawyers, Land Use/Zoning (2016-2019)
• Bay Area Power Women, Bisnow (2016)
• Top 50 Development, Land Use and Municipal Infrastructure Lawyers, Daily Journal (2014)
• Top 20 Under 40, Daily Journal (2014)
• 50 Lawyers on the Fast Track,The Recorder (2012)
• 40 Under 40, San Francisco Business Times (2012)
• Rising Star, Northern California Real Estate Women of Influence (2011)
• 20 Under 40, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network (2010)
• Rising Star, Northern California SuperLawyers magazine (2010–2012)

"For Women, Leaving Big Law for a Midsize Firm Doesn't Mean Settling," The American Lawyer (August 2020)

"Project Approved Pursuant to SB 35 Streamlining Procedures Survives Court Challenge," co-author, Land Use Law Alert (May 2020)
"California Superior Court's Application of SB 35 to Los Altos Development Project Provides Encouragement to Housing Proponents," co-author, Land Use Law Alert (April 2020)
"Construction of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly to Continue in Santa Clara County," co-author, Real Estate Law Alert (April 2020)
"Court Strikes Down Alameda Impact Fees in Boatworks, LLC v. City of Alameda" co-author, Land Use Alert (May 2019)
"Will CEQA Test Boring Co.'s Transit Projects?" author, GlobeSt.com (December 2018) 
"SB 50: As Housing Crisis Continues, Senator Weiner Announces Revised Upzoning Legislation," co-author, Land Use Law Alert (December 2018)
“The End of the Road for LOS Analysis of Traffic Impacts,” Environmental Leader (March 2016)
“California Cities Have Widely Variable Response to Housing Crisis,” Multi-Housing News (February 2016)
“The Housing Debate Heats up in California,” Western Real Estate Business (February 2016)
“California Legislature Debating 2015 Climate Leadership Legislation,” Environmental Leader (March 2015)
“Reform CEQA to help live with drought,” San Francisco Chronicle (January 2015)
“California’s New Energy Efficiency Challenge,” co-author, GlobeSt.com (January 2015)
“California Proposes Overhaul of Standards for Transportation-related Environmental Impact Analysis,” Environmental Leader (August 2014)
“Making Wine out of Water,” co-author, GlobeSt.com (April 2014)
“Regional Regulators Turn up the Heat,” Western Real Estate Business magazine (April 2012)
“Contemporary Zoning Conflicts – An Evolving Landscape Presents New Challenges,” Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine (January-February 2012)

“The Rise of the Responsible Agencies – CEQA Compliance in a Regional Focused Environment,” Environmental Liability and Enforcement Reporter (April 2011)

“Another Agency to Rain on Your Parade,” San Francisco Daily Journal (May 6, 2010)
“Women in Commercial Real Estate,” CREW Network Publication with the CREW Network Industry Research Committee (2010)
“Glass Ceiling or Sticky Floor, The State of Women’s Advancement in Commercial Real Estate,” CREW Network Publication with the CREW Network Industry Research Committee (2009)
“Buyer Beware,” Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine (May-June 2009)
“Back to Basics Due Diligence: Ensuring Use and Minimizing Risk,” California Real Estate Journal (May 2009)
“Repositioning Your Real Estate Career to Succeed in an Era of Change,” CREW Network Publication with the CREW Network Industry Research Committee (2008)
“CEQA’s Neverending Story – Post-Entitlement Enforcement of Mitigation Measures,” California Land Use Law and Policy Reporter (June 2008)
“Prohibiting Big Macs and Rollbacks: California’s Ever-Expanding Regulation of Retail End-Users,” California Land Use Law and Policy Reporter (December 2007)
“Climate Change: New Impact Laws Affecting Development Projects,” BUILDERnews magazine (July 2007)
“Thinking Globally When Acting Locally: How Will CEQA Adapt to a Changing Environment?” California Real Property Journal, Vol. 25, No. 2 (2007)

“‘Rapanos’ Wetlands Decision Doesn’t Void State Regulations,” San Francisco Daily Journal (July 2006)

“Settling With Certainty – California Courts of Appeal Grapple With Challenges to the Settlement of Land Use Litigation,” California Land Use Law and Policy Reporter (April 2006)
“Legislating a Density Bonus to Boost Affordable Housing,” San Francisco Daily Journal (September 2005)
“Cases Prove Need to Follow CEQA Requirements,” San Francisco Daily Journal (May 2004)