Cozen O’Connor: Casparian, Thomas

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Thomas is a trial lawyer and certified appellate law specialist. His trial and appellate practice focuses on commercial, real estate, environmental, and employment litigation. Thomas represents clients in land use and real estate development, providing counsel on entitlement strategies and protecting projects from litigation challenges. He has extensive experience litigating land use entitlement issues and disputes with municipalities and other governmental agencies at the trial and appellate court levels. He handles state and local administrative and regulatory matters and related government agency proceedings on behalf of businesses, developers, and large property owners.

Thomas has extensive appellate experience and is named as counsel on approximately twenty published state and federal appellate decisions, including: Everett v. Mountains Recreation and Conservancy Authority (2015) 239 Cal.App.4th 541; Carson Harbor Village, Ltd. v. City of Carson (2015) 239 Cal.App.4th 56; 218 Properties, LLC v. City of Carson (2014) 226 Cal.App.4th 182; Colony Cove Properties, LLC v. City of Carson (2013) 220 Cal.App.4th 840; Chino MHC, LP v. City of Chino (2012) 210 Cal.App.4th 1049; Goldstone v. County of Santa Cruz (2012) 207 Cal.App.4th 1038; Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates, LLC v. City of Los Angeles (2012) 55 Cal.4th 783 (representing amicus curiae); Colony Cove Properties, LLC v. City of Carson, 640 F.3d 948 (9th Cir. 2011); Colony Cove Properties, LLC v. City of Carson (2010) 187 Cal.App.4th 1487; Carson Harbor Village v. County of Los Angeles, 433 F.3d 1260 (9th Cir. 2006); Carson Harbor Village, Ltd. v. Unocal Corp., 287 F.Supp.2d 1118 (C.D. Cal. 2003); El Dorado Palm Springs, Ltd. v. Board of Supervisors, 104 Cal. App. 4th 1262 (2002); El Dorado Palm Springs, Ltd. v. City of Palm Springs, 96 Cal. App. 4th 1153 (2002); Carson Harbor Village, Ltd. v. City of Carson Mobilehome Rental Review Board, 70 Cal. App. 4th 281 (1997); and People v. Grant (1999) 20 Cal.4th 150.

Prior to joining Cozen O’Connor, Thomas practiced at Gilchrist & Rutter and earlier served as Deputy Attorney General, California Department of Justice. Before law school, Thomas worked on federal legislative and executive matters at Akin Gump in Washington, D.C.

Thomas received his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and his law degree from Boston University School of Law.

News

Catholic Sex Abuse Atty's Fee Not Taxable, 9th Circ. Told

March 15, 2021

Thomas Casparian and Karl Riley were featured in an article published by Law360.

Nine Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers

January 15, 2020

Super Lawyers has named nine Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers.

State Governments Push Hard for Rent Control

July 24, 2019

Thomas Casparian was quoted in MHInsider discussing his thoughts on statewide rent control and how it affects the industry.

The Golden State Rules

April 04, 2018

Tom Casparian, a member of the firm's Commercial Litigation Department, was recently quoted in Cannabis Business Times's article, "The Golden State Rules."

Cozen O’Connor Announces Hiring of Gilchrist & Rutter Attorneys

September 27, 2017

Cozen O’Connor is thrilled to announce that effective October 1, 2017, all of the lawyers from the Los Angeles real estate and commercial litigation boutique, Gilchrist & Rutter, will join the firm.

Publications

Coastal Communities Require Permits from Coastal Commission and from HCD for Mobile Home Construction [Alert]

June 29, 2021

Tom Casparian discusses the California Court of Appeals decision that the CCC and HCD have overlapping jurisdiction when it comes to mobile home construction and replacement in the coastal zone.

California Adopts Emergency Cannabis Regulations [Alert]

February 17, 2021

Susy Forbath and Thomas Casparian discuss the emergency regulations implementing processes for cannabis businesses to authorize the California Bureau of Cannabis to share licensee information with financial institutions.

Mobile Home Parks, Rental Property and COVID-19 Government Orders

August 06, 2020

Thomas Casparian provided an update for the Manufactured Housing Educational Trust —Mobile Home E-Series, to answer some questions MHET has posed that are plaguing community management, and help explain the web of emergency rules and restrictions.

Rent Control for Manufactured Housing Communities - CPI Systems

October 01, 2019

Thomas Casparian published an article to MHInsider Magazine explaining inflation-factor rent control systems, their various forms, and how small details can make big differences.

Vacancy Control the Most Onerous Form of Rent Control [MHInsider Magazine]

August 01, 2019

Thomas Casparian contributed an article to MHInsider Magazine explaining some of the most common elements of MHC-specific rent control systems.

Beware the Anti-Gouging Trap

December 28, 2018

Thomas Casparian and Susy Forbath authored an article in California Mobilehome Parkowners Alliance’s publication Alliance News.

Expanded Rent Control Dead — For Now [Alert]

November 07, 2018

Richard Close, Thomas Casparian, Duane Montgomery, Spencer Isaac Eldred, and Susy Forbath discuss California voters rejection of Prop.10, which would have expanded the ability of local governments to implement more comprehensive rent control.

Los Angeles County Rent Control?

February 16, 2018

Richard Close and Thomas Casparian discuss the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors' plan to establish rent control in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.

Coastal Commission Approval

February 15, 2018

Richard Close and Thomas Casparian discuss Cozen O’Connor's approval from the California Coastal Commission on behalf of Dan Guggenheim’s Rancho Mobile Estates in Goleta for the subdivision/conversion of the 150 space park.