Cynthia J. Morgan-Reed

Cynthia found her legal passion practicing land use, real estate and lobbying transactional work. She loves how land use intersects law, policy and politics. She drafts, negotiates, and processes development agreements; conditions of approval; amendments to ordinances; general plans, specific plans and community plans; zone changes; conditional use permits; variances; development entitlements; leases; purchase and sale agreements; easements; licenses, letters of intent, and memorandum of understanding.
She delights in helping clients be comfortable with the government approval process and satisfied with the time and costs invested in obtaining those approvals.

Ms. Morgan-Reed also analyzes and advises clients on environmental impact reports and statements under the California Environmental Quality Act; negotiates with public agencies on federal, state and regional development requirements; and assists individuals and community members challenging governmental and third-party land use decisions.

Ms. Morgan-Reed’s background has allowed her to represent a diverse clientele that includes developers, community groups, public agencies, and non-profits. Prior to running her own firm for three years, Morgan Reed Law, Ms. Morgan-Reed was a partner in two large local law firms. She was also a Deputy City Attorney in the Oceanside City Attorney Office and in the Criminal and Civil Trial Unit in the San Diego City Attorney Office.

Ms. Morgan-Reed was a Municipal Legal Fellow for the League of California Cities and a Georgetown Law Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellow where she was placed with the National Association of Women Judges and taught a law course as an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University.

Representative Matters

Represented hotel developers in obtaining entitlements for LEED Certified and urban in-fill hotels.

Negotiated the purchase of property and entitlements for a 100-unit, mixed-use condominium project with affordable housing and historic designation.

Opposed an addiction and treatment center from relocating to a commercial area.

Negotiated favorable traffic, parking and environmental conditions of approval for a commercial property.

Assisted cannabis companies in obtaining Conditional Use Permits for their Marijuana Retail Dispensary.

Obtained Clean Hands Waiver in County of Los Angeles Code Enforcement case.

Negotiated agreements between two public agencies to reimburse Development Impact Fees for public improvements constructed by developer.