Claire Collins is a Partner at Hanson Bridgett. She has experience representing public entities, private companies, and individuals in a range of real estate, land use, and environmental matters in urban, suburban, and rural contexts.

Her practice includes transactional law, compliance counseling, and litigation. She regularly handles the following types of matters:

• Public agency general counseling
• Contract negotiation, drafting, and review
• Real property sales, acquisitions, and leasing
• Boundary disputes
• Easement and “Right of Way” negotiation and interpretation
• California Environmental Quality Act compliance and litigation
• Land use/zoning matters including land use entitlements
• Eminent domain and inverse condemnation
• Clean Water Act and Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act litigation and compliance
• Water, solid waste, wastewater, recycling, and recycled water contracts, ordinances, laws, and regulations
• Railroad-related matters
• Open government law, including the Public Records Act and the Brown Act
• California Government Claims Act
• Public finance issues, including Prop. 218 compliance, State Revolving Fund loans, and bond issuances
• Local agency formation commission matters

Prior to attending law school, she was a communications specialist working in the political and public sectors, focusing on international trade, investment, and economic development.

Ms. Collins serves as General Counsel to Irvine Ranch Water District, West County Wastewater, and Trabuco Canyon Water District, and as special counsel to a variety of other agencies across the state.

Bar Admissions

• California
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Education
J.D., International Concentration, University of California, Hastings College of the Law (2004)
B.A., University of California, San Diego (1996)

Professional Associations

• American College of Real Estate Lawyers (Fellow 2019 â?? present, Vice Chair of the Public Policy Committee 2021 â?? present)
• Gamble House Conservancy, Board of Trustees
• Association of California Water Agencies Legal Affairs Committee, Vice Chair (2020-2021)
• USC Real Estate Law & Business Forum, Executive Committee, 2015 - present
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Real Property Section (Chair, 2018 - 2019, Vice Chair, 2016 - 2018, Chair of Land Use, Planning, and Environmental Law Steering Committee, 2008 - 2010)
• California Association of Sanitation Agencies, Chair, Attorneys Committee, 2016 - 2018
• Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council, Board Member, Land Use and Planning Committee, 2006 - 2009
• American College of Real Estate Lawyers

Professional Activities and Experience
Accolades

• Los Angeles Business Journal, Women Of Influence (2022)
• Los Angeles Business Journal, Women to Watch, Finalist (2021)
• The Best Lawyers in America©, Real Estate Law (2018–2023)
• 2013 Outstanding Young Lawyer, Real Property Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association

"New Law Protects Water/Wastewater Sector by Limiting Rate Challenges," Water Law Alert (September 2021)
"Supreme Court Expands Scope of 'Public Works' Definition — Contract Employees Performing Operations Work are Covered by Prevailing Wage Laws," Government Law Alert (March 2021)
"Top Ten Recommendations for Virtual Brown Act Meetings," co-author, Government Law Alert (July 2020)
"Court of Appeal Clarifies Rules for Retaining Emails That are Included in CEQA Records," co-author, Government Law Alert (August 2020)
"PFAS – A Primer for Real Estate Lawyers on a New Environmental Risk," co-author, American College of Real Estate Lawyers News and Notes (April 2020)
"New Federal Law Requires PFAS Users to Report to EPA," co-author, Environment & Natural Resources Law Alert (March 2020)