Kira T. Conlon is a partner in the Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental Practice Group in the firm's Los Angeles office. She also is a member of the Multifamily Housing and Cannabis teams, and serves as a Leader of the firm's Los Angeles Women Lawyers Group and on the Recruiting Committee.
Kira represents public and private sector clients in real estate development. She advises developers through all phases of the approval process and environmental compliance. Her work includes residential, commercial, studio, hotel, industrial, campus, and mixed-use development projects. Kira has deep experience leading complicated development projects in the City of Los Angeles and throughout California. Her land use experience includes advising lenders, prospective buyers, and owners on development opportunities, risks, and value-based strategies through due diligence investigations; negotiating and obtaining complex land use entitlements such as General Plan Amendments, Zone Changes, Development Agreements, Vesting Tentative Tract Maps, and Conditional Use Permits; and appearing before governmental agencies, commissions, and elected bodies. Kira also counsels commercial cannabis companies on state and local regulatory compliance issues, including negotiating and obtaining local permits to operate. In addition, Kira represents developers and management in traditional labor law issues, including union negotiations.
Kira's extensive entitlement experience is complemented by her strategic advice on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), including ways to streamline review for transit-oriented infill development and affordable housing projects. Kira leads numerous mixed-income and affordable housing projects that leverage local and state incentive programs and streamlining tools, such as State Density Bonus, Transit Oriented Communities, SB 35, AB 1197, SB 743, and SB 375.
Kira serves on the Board of Directors of the Little Tokyo Service Center and is President-Elect of the Japanese American Bar Association. In 2018, she was honored with the firm's inaugural Bob Williams Award, which recognizes Sheppard Mullin associates who provide exceptional service for the betterment of the firm and the community.
