Partner
Alexander M. Brand
Alex Brand is a litigator and a member of Best Best & Krieger’s Municipal Law practice group and the firm’s Housing Law group. His litigation practice focuses on housing, environmental, and land use matters on behalf of public and private clients. Alex also has broad experience on general municipal litigation issues such as California Public Records Act, Brown Act and civil rights litigation matters. His litigation experience includes both state and federal court, at both the trial and appellate levels.
Housing
Alex’s housing law experience includes complex litigation and transactional matters involving the housing element law, affordable housing agreements, builders remedy disputes and land use issues. Alex works closely with the firm’s housing working group to advise clients on the litigation risks arising from rapidly changing state housing laws. Additionally, when necessary Alex is available to public agency clients to assist them in litigation arising from the various housing laws in the state.
Environmental
Alex’s environmental law experience includes complex litigation and transactional matters involving the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act issues related the valuation and clean-up of contaminated property.
California Public Records Act
Alex is well versed in various aspects of the California Public Records Act (“CPRA”). Alex has experience advising clients on the litigation risks of asserting certain CPRA exemptions and provides advice to try and avoid litigation and promote transparency. Where necessary, Alex is experienced in defending public agency decisions regarding the CPRA.
Municipal Litigation
Alex has extensive experience representing public agencies in various municipal legal disputes including Brown Act, defense of municipal administrative action and civil rights litigation. Alex has experience representing public clients in high-exposure complex litigation matters and is aware of the unique concerns that public entities have with litigation — especially when there is a high risk of monetary or publicity exposure.
Representative Matters
- Housing Litigation
- Successfully defeated a petition for writ of mandate seeking to compel a client to adopt relocation and replacement housing plans before such plans were required by statute
- Successfully negotiated a resolution between our city client and the California Department of Housing and Community Development to resolve a housing element dispute
- California Public Records Act
- Successfully defended public agency decision to withhold from disclosure historical criminal records
- Successfully defended public agency health plan decision to withhold from disclosure propriety healthcare quality improvement records
- General Municipal Litigation
- In a civil rights matter for a large South California City Alex successfully obtained summary judgment and defended the decision on appeal at the Ninth Circuit
- Successfully obtain a permanent injunction to shut down a nuisance business and had the decision affirmed at the California Court of Appeal
- Successfully defended a City’s decision to revoke a business license from various administrative and constitutional challenges and defended the judgment at the California Court of Appeal
Publications
- “Opening Secrets,” Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, February 2019
- “Opinion Sets Proper Boundaries for Vicarious Liability,” Daily Journal, June 26, 2018
Presentations
- “Litigating PRA Cases,” Law Seminar International Annual Seminar on Public Records Act Litigation, Nov. 9, 2023
