Jennifer L Hernandez

Practice Areas

Jennifer Hernandez has practiced land use and environmental law for more than 30 years, and leads Holland & Knight's West Coast Land Use and Environmental Group. She is a former longtime co-chair of the firm's national Land Use and Government Team. Ms. Hernandez divides her time between the firm's San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.

Ms. Hernandez is the only California lawyer ranked by her clients and peers in Chambers USA in the top tier of both land use/zoning and environmental lawyers. In addition, she was recognized as the top environmental litigator of the year in the San Francisco Bay Area by Best Lawyers, and received a California Lawyer of the Year award from the State Bar of California for her work on California's largest and most innovative land use and conservation agreement between her private landowner client and five major environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council. She also has received numerous civil rights awards for her work on overcoming environmentalist opposition to housing and other projects needed and supported by minority communities.

During his tenure as mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown named October 9, 2002, as "Jennifer Hernandez Day" in San Francisco in honor of her work as a "warrior on the Brownfields" to restore and redevelop former industrial lands. Ms. Hernandez is the longest-serving minority board member (23 years) of the California League of Conservation voters, was appointed by President Clinton to serve as a trustee for the Presidio National Park in San Francisco, and serves on the board of directors for California Forward and Sustainable Conservation.

Ms. Hernandez works for private sector, public agency and nonprofit clients on a broad range of projects in Bay Area, Southern California and Central Valley communities, including infill and master-planned mixed-use housing and commercial projects, university and research facilities, transportation and infrastructure projects, renewable and other energy projects, local agency plan and ordinance updates, and horse racing and other live sports and entertainment venues. She has written three books, and more than 50 articles, on environmental and land use topics, and regularly teaches land use, environmental and climate law in law and business schools, colleges and seminars. She also serves on the firm's Directors Committee and received the firm's highest honor – the Chesterfield Smith Award – for her community service.

Ms. Hernandez graduated with honors from Harvard University and Stanford Law School, and clerked for Region 20 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) before beginning her land use and environmental law career. Ms. Hernandez is the daughter and granddaughter of steelworkers and was raised in Pittsburg, California. She and her husband live in Berkeley and Los Angeles.

Publications

Publications - Articles (Partial List):

New California Legislation Requires Comprehensive Cleanups for New Purchases Seeking Immunity from State Joint and Several Liability Laws

Environment in Review – Major New Developments for Brownfields & Wetlands Practitioners in California

New Nationwide Permit Program from the Army Corps of Engineers

A Practical Guide to Structuring Brownfield Transactions in California: The Art of the Deal

A Practical Guide to Implementing the Polanco Act for Redevelopment Area Brownfields

A Practical Guide to Environmental Insurance in Brownfield Transactions

A Practical Guide to the California Land Environmental Restoration and Reuse Act (SB 32)

Joining the Brownfields Bandwagon: New Options in Contaminated Property Redevelopment

Facilitating Base Conversions – Reforms of Environmental Law Can Minimize Gridlock

A Practical Guide to Local Agency Involvement in the Cleanup of Contaminated Property

A Practical Guide to the Intersection of Construction Law and Environmental Law

A Practical Guide to Handling Low Level Radioactive Waste

A Practical Guide to Air Quality Regulations Affecting Indirect and Area Sources of Air Pollution

A Practical Guide to Preparing a Model Corporate Environmental Policy

Environmental Law and Regulations, University of California at Berkley (Course Materials)

Urban Redevelopment and Environmental Law, Stanford Law School (Course Materials)

A Practitioner's Guide to CEQA Compliance for Projects Located for Contaminated Property

A Practical Guide to Minimizing Lender and Investor Liability for Contaminated Property

A Practical Introduction to the Building Blocks of an Environmental Compliance Program

A Practical Guide to the Potential Liability of Environmental Managers Under Federal Environmental Laws

A Practical Guide to Environmental Laws Affecting Colleges and Universities

A Practical Guide to the Building Blocks of an Environmental Compliance Program for Laboratories

Facilitating Long Term Planning with Program EIRs: A Case Study of the University of California 1988-1990

The Long Range Development Planning Process for Universities

A Practical Guide to the Effects of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments on Cogeneration Facilities

A Client's Guide to the Use of Environmental Lawyers

A Practitioner's Guide to Preparing Environmental Impact Reports after Kings Country Farm Bureau v. City of Hanford

When Citizens Sue: Some Federalism Issues