Mr. Abbott has been in private practice since 1983. During his over 30 years of experience, he has represented public agencies, private developers and property owners on land use matters throughout California. As special counsel on numerous land use matters, his experience includes lead counsel for major development projects, trial advocacy, and counseling pertaining to initiatives and referenda involving land use approvals. Locally, Mr. Abbott has advised developers and property owners on development issues in Auburn, Chico, Davis, Dixon, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Loomis, Nevada City, Oroville, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento, West Sacramento, Truckee, Woodland, and in the counties of Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen, Madera, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo. Mr. Abbott has similar experience in representing public agencies in land use matters including the cities of Calexico, Colfax, Dixon, Galt, Grass Valley, Folsom, Los Banos, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, Rio Dell, Riverbank, Truckee, Watsonville, and Winters, and the counties of Butte, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mariposa, Monterey, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, San Bernardino, Tehama, Yuba, several Local Agency Formation Commissions and Councils of Governments, and the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. Mr. Abbott has represented clients in mediation, and has served as a mediator, arbitrator, and as an expert witness. Mr. Abbott individually, and his firm, holds an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He has been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America® in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and as a leading practitioner by Law & Politics and San Francisco Magazine (Northern California Superlawyer) for the years 2004-2012 in the fields of land use and zoning. As part of his law practice, Mr. Abbott has written articles and columns and has lectured extensively on land use matters. Since 1981, he has been an instructor for the University of California Extension's Land Use and Environmental Planning program teaching classes in planning, zoning, CEQA, Permit Streamlining Act, vested rights, initiatives, development agreements and land use litigation. In September 2012, Mr. Abbott participated as a speaker for the Sacramento County Bar Association Real Property Law Section. He has also participated in numerous training programs for developers, property owners, engineers and planners, along with local planning departments, commissions, the County Supervisors Association of California, League of California Cities, RCRC and the County Planning Directors' Association. He served as an editorial consultant to CEB for the Action Guide entitled Handling an Administrative Mandamus Action, published in 1993. In addition, he co-authored the chapter (main volume) on the Subdivision Map Act in Longtin’s California Land Use, and is editor and a co-author of Exactions and Impact Fees in California, a comprehensive overview on development exactions published by Solano Press Books in 1993, and updated in 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2007. The third edition was published in May 2012. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Abbott was Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, responsible for the Local Government Unit.