Nubia Goldstein Partner
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Overview

If Nubia Goldstein’s career seems perfectly tailored towards municipal law, that’s because it is. From majoring in Government at California State University, Sacramento to choosing Public Law and Policy as her academic focus at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Nubia has developed a background in politics and policy that continually influences her diverse public agency work today.

As part of the White Brenner LLP team, Nubia’s areas of practice include real estate and land use, litigation, eminent domain and legislative advocacy. Nubia serves as City Attorney for the cities of Newman, Ceres, and Patterson; Deputy City Attorney to the cities of Angels Camp, Arcata, Dixon, and Sonora; General Counsel to the San Joaquin Local Area Formation Commission, California Electronic Recording Transaction Network Authority (CeRTNA), and San Simeon Community Services District; and as Administrative Hearing Officer to the City of Redwood City and Port of Oakland. She advises White Brenner LLP’s municipal and special district clients on issues related to the Brown Act, conflicts of interest, election law and land use matters. She represents the firm’s public and private clients in all stages of litigation, mediation and alternative dispute resolution. She is a member of the Public Law section of the California State Bar, a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association, and a registered lobbyist.

Before entering law school, Nubia gained legislative experience working at the Capitol for a California Assemblywoman and political know-how while working on local election campaigns. The time spent staffing bills and communicating with constituents and lobbyists naturally carried over to her desire to practice law. While at McGeorge, Nubia participated in several student organizations and served as President and Executive Chair of McGeorge’s Public Legal Services Society. In addition to graduating with distinction, she earned the Witkin Award for Excellence in two courses, was admitted to the Traynor Honor Society, and received the Outstanding Student service Award for her significant contributions to the McGeorge community.

Outside of her academic honors, Nubia built upon her governmental relations and legal experience at the California Attorney General’s Office, Fair Political Practices Commission, and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. She also previously worked in the Civil Law and Motion Department of the Sacramento County Superior Court. The accumulation of all these experiences naturally drew Nubia towards municipal law as an intersection of politics, policy, and law.

Although it may seem like Nubia’s entire life revolves around solving municipal matters, she does get out of the office to explore local eateries, museums, and sporting events. And while she is an ardent local sports fan and spends the fall managing her fantasy football team, she leaves the physical participation to the professionals.

If not a lawyer… based on my experiences organizing club and fundraising events, I would probably do event planning, either for business and political organizations or special events for non-profits—possibly both! I like watching all the elements of a well-structured event come together successfully.

Projects

  • City Attorney, cites of Newman, Ceres, and Patterson
  • Deputy City Attorney, cities of Angels Camp, Arcata, Dixon, and Sonora
  • General Counsel, San Joaquin Local Area Formation Commission, California Electronic Recording Transaction Network, and San Simeon Community Services District
  • Administrative Hearing Officer, City of Redwood City and Port of Oakland
  • Representing the City of Patterson in all aspects of litigation with local developers
  • Assisting the City of Newman in developing an urban growth boundary
  • Representing local business owners in obtaining entitlements for emerging industries
  • Advising public agency clients in evaluating compliance with California and federal election laws
  • Represented the City of Patterson in litigation regarding environmental and permit conditions related to storm drainage
  • Representing solar developers in obtaining entitlements and drafting contracts related to large-scale photovoltaic systems
  • Represented the City of Riverbank in CEQA litigation, resulting in a $4M settlement for the city
  • Contributor and reviewer of the California Municipal Law Handbook
  • Contributor and Reviewer, California Special District Association’s Sample Policy Handbook

Articles

  • “Howeowner Associations 101”, TYL, Winter 2016