Robert Williamson has been a member of Hart, King & Coldren's litigation and land use practice since 1998. Mr. Williamson has extensive experience representing property owners with issues involving land use matters, takings claims arising from rent control regulation, and regulatory compliance. He also handles resident mass tort cases brought against property owners involving premises liability, discriminatory housing practices and state and federal regulatory violations. In rent control jurisdictions, Mr. Williamson serves as either a liaison or advocate for property owners before county and city agencies. Mr. Williamson has represented property owners and management companies in California state and federal court involving significant landlord/tenant litigation and residency documentation and has assisted with drafting proposed legislation.

• Successfully represented national client invalidating a city adopted voter initiative that for over two years had imposed restrictive rent control.
• Successfully represented national client in closure of the landmark Treasure Island Trailer Park in Laguna Beach and the subsequent sale and redevelopment of the property.
• Successfully defended major California developer against investor litigation, charging fraud and other malfeasance concerning the developer's operating partnerships and corporations that developed a subdivision and sold luxury homes in Riverside County.
• Negotiated favorable settlement of bankruptcy litigation for business clients' major creditor's claim against a debtor who asserted a complex and novel "pre bankruptcy planning" defense and had converted substantial non exempt assets into exempt assets such as IRA's, pensions and homesteaded properties before filing bankruptcy to avoid aggressive state court collection litigation.
• Successfully represented property owners and developers with strategic planning and implementation of redevelopment and renovation of aged mobilehome parks into modern manufactured home communities. Also included coordination with government officials and agencies on regulatory compliance in land use, utilities and product sales, development and implementation of community operational and transactional documents, and conversion to resident ownership strategy in the Counties of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Napa, and Santa Clara.
• Negotiated favorable resolution of community owners claims against the City of Santa Cruz rent control regulations which resulted in negotiated amendments to the City's rent control ordinance, exempting these communities from that control.

Admissions:

• California
• All U.S. District Courts in California
• U.S. Tax Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Education:

• Northrop University School of Law, El Segundo, CA, J.D. 1976
• University of San Diego School of Law, L.L.M. Taxation
• University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, B.S., 1968

Affiliations:

• California State Bar Association
• Orange County Bar Association