Attorney Profiles

William D. Ross, Founder

Mr. Ross graduated from Stanford University in 1970 with honors and received his law degree from the University of Santa Clara in 1974. From 1976-1981, he acted as Deputy County Counsel for the County of Los Angeles where he advised and represented the County Regional Planning Commission, and participated in litigation involving land use, environmental, public finance and tort claims defense. Currently, he practices in the field of real property, planning and zoning, administrative/governmental law and water law. For over eight years, he was a member of the Planning Commission in the City of Pasadena, serving as its Chairman for two years. Among the planning matters which were initiated, revised and adopted during his tenure were the California Institute of Technology Master Plan and the Civic Center Master Plan, a portion of the City's General Plan. He has served on numerous advisory commissions to the State Legislature, including the Advisory Committee to the Senate Local Government Committee on revisions to the Subdivision Map Act. Mr. Ross is a member of the Local Government and Administrative Law Sections to the Los Angeles County Bar and the Administrative Law Section of the Natural Resources Section of the American Bar Association, and is a member of the Working Section on Public Lands and Land Use Section of the Natural Resources Section of the American Bar Association.

Mr. Ross has had extensive experience with CEQA compliance, including but not limited to, providing testimony as an expert witness concerning land use development and environmental compliance and acting as lead counsel in several published appellate cases concerning related land use and environmental matters. Mr. Ross has produced numerous opinions for government and private industry as to compliance with CEQA.

Mr. Ross currently serves as City Attorney for the City of American Canyon in Napa County and as District Counsel for the Rural Fire Protection District of San Diego County, the West Stanislaus Fire Protection District, the Salida Fire Protection District, the Saratoga Fire Protection District, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, the Arbuckle-College City Fire Protection District and the Humboldt No. 1 Fire Protection District.

Kypros G. Hostetter, Associate

Mr. Hostetter received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis, with Highest Honors in 1999 and received his law degree from the UCLA Law School in 2003, where he served as Chief Managing Editor of the UCLA Journal of International Law & Foreign Affairs. Prior to attending law school, he worked for the California Air Resources Board. His practice areas are civil litigation, land use and municipal law.

Karin A. Briggs, Associate

Ms. Briggs received her undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in 1997, graduating cum laude in Psychology. She received her law degree from J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in 2001, graduating magna cum laude, where she served as the Solicitations Editor of the Education and Law Journal and Secretary of the Native American Law Students Association. Ms. Briggs was admitted to the Utah State Bar in 2001 and practiced law in Utah for four years, focusing on municipal law, land use, and estate planning. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 2006. Her practice areas include land use and municipal law. Ms. Briggs is a member of the State and Local Government Law, Real Property, Environmental Law, and Trusts & Estates Sections of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and is a member of the Orange County Bar Association.

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