What do tree-huggers, sports nuts, well-heeled homeowners and the Berkeley city attorney all have in common?
Together, they’re suing the University of California Regents to halt development around Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium, home to the Cal football team.
To some, these tag-team plaintiffs might seem like a frighteningly uneasy alliance.
Two of the plaintiff groups, in fact, will square off next month in a separate development case. The California Oak Foundation plans to ask Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jo-Lynne Lee to invalidate a different deal Berkeley city leaders struck with the university.
“I think it’s fair to say the individuals and the organization I represent do not trust the City of Berkeley,” said Stephan Volker, the oak foundation’s lawyer.
Despite the strife among plaintiffs, however, Volker said he was confident the plaintiff side would win a preliminary injunction this week blocking the Memorial Stadium project. (And indeed, his prediction was correct — they got the injunction, according to the San Francisco Chonicle.)
And, publicly at least, the various plaintiffs have gotten along reasonably well.
“It certainly has been cooperative so far,” said Susan Brandt-Hawley, lawyer for the group that calls itself “Save Tightwad Hill.”
With numbers on his side, Michael Lozeau actually described a recent five-hour court hearing as a “leisurely” experience.
“I’m used to being all by myself with a whole bunch of attorneys on the other side,” said Lozeau, lawyer for the Panoramic Hill Association.
Each of the plaintiff groups has argued that the UC Regents violated the California Environmental Quality Act by green-lighting the construction of academic and sports facilities alongside Memorial Stadium. Critics say the project will be vulnerable to earthquake damage and will force the removal of several dozen mature trees.
Some of the plaintiffs’ lawyers described their arguments as overlapping for the most part.
But we all know someone has to do the heavy lifting. So, if the anti-stadium team comes out on top, who should be voted most valuable lawyer?
“Several people told me our argument was most persuasive,” Volker said.
— Matthew Hirsch
How come you Cal lawyers dont file a million frivilous lawsuits against the City and these special interest groups? Surely there must be at least one among you who see this project for what it really is. Which is a sound environmentaly friendly project.
Oh and about this comment,
"But we all know someone has to do the heavy lifting. So, if the anti-stadium team comes out on top, who should be voted most valuable lawyer?
“Several people told me our argument was most persuasive,” Volker said."
Wow, what a vain lawyer. No wonder you guys are the victims of bad jokes.
Posted by: Seth | January 30, 2007 at 02:16 AM