|
Professional Experience
Leah Castella joined McDonough Holland & Allen PC in 2007 as a member of the firm's Public Law Practice Group in Oakland. Leah has extensive experience in civil litigation on behalf of public agencies and private entities. She specializes in litigating municipal law cases, including inverse condemnation, Proposition 218, election law, and land use matters. Leah also has in depth knowledge of Federal Indian law, and counsels her clients on issues related to Tribal Sovereignty, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and the fee to trust process.
Representative Matters
Represented municipality in an inverse condemnation trial in the Northern District of California
Court of Appeals victory upholding the constitutionality of a municipality's transit occupancy tax
Represented a municipality in a Proposition 218 challenge to a 911 Fee
Obtained a landmark summary judgment ruling holding that a Tribe's banishment and disenrollment of a tribal member is a punitive sanction and is reviewable under the Indian Civil Rights Act
Successfully settled a claim for breach of a casino management agreement for $50 million
Leadership Positions/Affiliations
Executive Director, Women's Debate Institute
Board Member, Bar Association of San Francisco Barristers
Board Member, Law Academy Advisory Board
Member, State Bar of California
Member, Bar Association of San Francisco
Coach, Thurgood Marshall High School Mock Trial Team
Coach, Boalt Hall Jessup Moot Court Team | 