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Impact Fees As CEQA Mitigation
Properly administered impact fee programs can operate to streamline California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of later development projects. At the same time, impact fee programs that are not implemented in accordance with the original expectations, or that are founded upon unrealistic assumptions, may offer the lead agency and affected applicant little or no real legal relief, and may be a trap for the unwary.
Impact fees are controlled by Government Code section 66000-66022. Fees may be imposed based upon a comprehensive impact fee program (Blue Jeans Equities West v. City and County of San Francisco (1992) 3 Cal. App. 4th 164) or as calculated on an ad hoc basis (Erlich v. City of Culver City (1996) 12 Cal.4th 854). The methodology ' broad-based vs. ad hoc ' determines which findings must be adopted by the imposing agency. Loyola Marymount University v. Los Angeles Unified School District (1996) 45 Cal.App.4th 1256. Generally, impact fees of broad application receive less judicial scrutiny (Erlich v. City of Culver City, supra at p. 875).
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later
The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.
Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations
This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.
How AI Has Affected PR
When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.
The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs
The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.