Assistant County Counsel Robert Kwong Joins A to Z Law Firm

September 11, 2014

Robert N. Kwong, who has served as assistant county counsel for Ventura County since 2003, has joined the Oxnard law firm of Arnold LaRochelle Mathews VanConas & Zirbel, specializing in land use and environmental law.

Kwong, of Newbury Park, comes to A to Z Law with over 25 years of experience primarily in land use and environmental law. For the County of Ventura, Kwong provided legal counsel, litigation and transactional representation to the Resource Management Agency’s Planning, Environmental Health, Code Compliance and Building & Safety Divisions. He advised the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and was the lead attorney for the Ventura County Planning Commission on many land-use and zoning matters, including the addition of an HOV lane on Highway 101 and the Channel Islands Harbor Boating Instruction and Safety Center development, among others.

Kwong also served as general counsel to the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District and its staff, handling all matters related to federal and state Clean Air Acts and regulations including air quality planning, permitting and enforcement issues.  In this capacity, Kwong was on the forefront of Climate Change laws and regulations involving the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) and the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375).

In addition to the land use and environmental law representation, Kwong provided legal counsel on numerous contractual and transactional matters to the Ventura County Information Technology Services Department, the Channel Islands Harbor Department, General Services Agency, and the Human Services Agency.

“Robert has extensive experience in his areas of practice and he enjoys an outstanding reputation in this region,” said AtoZ’s Managing Partner, John Matthews.  “Robert will assume a leadership role in our Land Use and Development Group, as well as our Environmental Group,” Matthews added.

Previously, Kwong served for many years as the General Counsel of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, based in San Francisco, and Senior Deputy District Counsel of the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Diamond Bar.   His legal experience also includes time as a Deputy City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles, Corporations Counsel for the California Department of Corporations in Los Angeles, and Deputy Attorney General for the California Department of Justice.

Kwong earned his Juris Doctorate from the Loyola School of Law in Los Angeles.  He  received his Bachelor of Science degree in Real Estate & Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Socio-Economic History from the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts & Sciences.

And he has been a speaker and presenter at land use and environmental law conferences statewide for 20 years. He has been active in the Children’s Hunger Fund, serving on the board of directors from 2008 to 2012, and as their pro bono counsel since 2012.  He also teaches an Environmental Law course at California State University Northridge.

Established in 1990, Arnold LaRochelle Mathews VanConas & Zirbel, LLP, is one of Ventura County’s most distinguished law firms, noted for its expertise and reputation. A to Z Law’s experienced attorneys are longtime Ventura County residents with established ties in the region. The firm’s eight practice groups provide individuals, businesses and government agencies with superior counsel in a wide range of matters, including business, real estate and personal injury litigation; real estate and business transactions; estate planning, probate and trust administration and litigation; and environmental and land use law. For more information, visit www.atozlaw.com.