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Mar 20, 2025
EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION
Law, Community, and the Climate Crisis: A Collective Responsibility
Mar 20, 2025
By Elisha J. Yang, Senior Counsel - Hanson Bridgett LLP
Climate change is no longer a distant threat – it is a reality affecting our communities today. From rising sea levels and extreme weather to environmental injustices disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations, the legal system plays a critical role in shaping how we respond. But the law is not just for policymakers and corporations; it is a tool for communities, advocates, and individuals working to protect our shared future.
This issue of the Marin Lawyer focuses on the intersection of law, climate, and community
action. Our contributors explore how lawyers, activists, and everyday citizens can use legal
frameworks to hold polluters accountable, push for stronger regulations, and build resilience in their own neighborhoods. Terence Carroll of River Otter Ecology Project highlights the importance of creating coherent and equitable land use regulations in response to the sea level rise to protect our residents in West Marin. Niran Somasundaram of Hanson Bridgett LLP provides an update on how the California Legislature has explored the use of CEQA exemptions and streamlining through a number of new bills recently introduced to ease potential obstacles to much-needed housing development projects. To continue the theme of streamlining processes for developers, Sean Herman, Christopher Powell, and Alexander Ames of Hanson Bridgett LLP write about the first four Class VI injection wells (for carbon capture and sequestration projects) that the EPA has approved in California during the final days of the Biden Administration.
The climate crisis requires all of us – legal professionals, policymakers, and community members to work together. By understanding the power of law in shaping environmental outcomes, we can ensure that justice, equity, and sustainability remain at the heart of climate action.
Local non-profit organizations, Rally Family Visitation Services and Canal Alliance are featured for their incredible work ensuring the safety of high-risk and low income families and their children and advocacy work for Latino community members of Marin.
Want to get to know our MCBA leaders better? We are excited to share an interview with the honorable Judge Andrew Sweet and a spotlight article on Shanti Eagle, partner at Farella Braun + Martel LLP. Look for more spotlights on our leaders of the MCBA in future issues.
We hope this issue sparks dialogue, fosters collaboration, and empowers our readers to be part of the solution. As always, we welcome your thoughts and stories – because meaningful change happens when communities come together.
Thank you for reading, and as always, we welcome your thoughts and perspectives.
Elisha
Elisha Yang’s transactional experience covers a broad array of commercial and real estate matters. She counsels clients in the food and beverage industry in contract negotiations, including procurement contracts, services agreements, co-manufacturing arrangements, and trademark licensing agreements. In her real estate practice, Elisha regularly counsels real estate owners and investors in the acquisition and disposition of commercial real property, including agricultural land, office buildings, and senior care facilities. She has represented both landlords and tenants in commercial leases, and borrowers and lenders in real estate financing. She is adept at project management and in the implementation of data and workflow management systems. A San Francisco Bay Area native, she is deeply involved in the community, regularly working on behalf of the Asian American Bar Association.
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