Charles V. Berwanger is a Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. Charles specializes in real estate, land use, environmental and business dispute resolution and litigation. His real estate expertise includes resolving real estate disputes through mediation, litigation and appeals.
- Paulson v. City of San Diego, 294 F. 3d 1124 (9th Cir. 2012) (Mr. Berwanger represented the Mount Soledad Memorial Association in its effort to continue to operate a veteran’s memorial atop Mt. Soledad in La Jolla, Ca.)
- United States v. 1.377 Acres of Land, 352 F. 3d 1259 (9th Circuit, 2003) (Mr. Berwanger persuaded the court to award condemned hotel tenant goodwill compensation as provided by lease.)
- City of Chula Vista v. County of San Diego (1994) 23 Cal. App. 4th 1713 (Mr. Berwanger represented City in an action to abate a hazardous waste transfer and treatment facility.)
- City of Signal Hill v. Owens (1994) 154 Cal. App. 3d 119. (Mr. Berwanger represented the City to enforce its massage parlor land use regulation.)
- Great Lakes Properties v. City of El Segundo (1977) 19 Cal. 3d 152 (Mr. Berwanger represented property owners on this appeal relating to interpretation of the California Coastal Zone Conservation Act of 1972.)
- City of Rancho Palos Verdes v. City Council at Rolling Hills Estates, 547 F.2d 1092 (9th Cir. 1976) (Mr. Berwanger represented Palos Verdes Properties in this action challenging its proposed development based on the California Environmental Quality Act.)
- Rancho Palos Verdes Corp. v. City of Laguna Beach, 390 F. Supp. 1004 (C.D. Cal. 1975) (Mr. Berwanger represented Corp. in an action under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 seeking damages for the taking by City of Corp.’s land within City through open space zoning.)
Admissions
- California
- California Supreme Court
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal, Fifth and Ninth Circuits
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Central and Southern California Districts
Memberships
- State Bar of California – Chairperson, Litigation Section; Real Property Section, Co-Chair
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers of San Diego, Chairperson
- City Ballet of San Diego, Board Member
- American Youth Hostels, Board Member
- San Diego County Bar Association, Legal Ethics Committee
- Deputy Special Prosecutor for the State Bar of California Enforcement Unit
- San Diego River Park Foundation Board Member
- Wallace Inn of Court, Master and Treasurer
- Enright Inn of Court, Master
- Ethics Committee, San Diego Bar Association, Member
- Mount Soledad Memorial Association, Counsel
- NCCA Small College Tennis Championship Team Member
Education
- J.D., University of Southern California Law School, 1969
- B.A., Political Science, California State University, Los Angeles, 1966
Honors
- Top Rated Lawyer-AV® Preeminent™, Martindale-Hubbell
- Top Rated Lawyer in Real Estate
- Super Lawyers® distinction in the fields of Business Litigation, Appellate and Real Estate (2007-2016)
- Top Lawyer in San Diego, Real Estate (San Diego Magazine, 2017)
- Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Commercial Litigation (2020-2026), Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law (2023-2026)