Kenneth Katzaroff

Industry Group Leader

I seek practical solutions to complex land use challenges. ‎

How I represent clients at Schwabe

With care and personal attention, I assist clients with development projects in urban and rural settings that need help navigating complex land use issues. I have a comprehensive approach and understand projects from the ground up.

Whether working with big-box retailers, destination resorts, housing project developers, or other institutional-scale master plans, I understand each client’s unique challenges and build my approach accordingly. My experience includes appellate proceedings, all levels of land use entitlement, state water rights, State Environmental Policy Act mitigation, and surface mining permitting. I also routinely collaborate on legislative amendments to facilitate the growing demand for mixed-use developments.

My previous experience working as in-house General Counsel for a family of privately held development companies with projects throughout the Pacific Northwest lends to the 360-degree perspective I bring to my clients. This direct industry involvement gives me an edge over other land use lawyers. I am experienced in managing complex real estate development projects with a multitude of legal and practical issues at play.

Experience

  • Land use counsel for health care system in active ‎expansion. ‎
  • Manage land use permitting for large-format retailers.‎
  • Successfully represented a destination resort ‎developer in numerous land-use appeals before the ‎Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, Oregon Court of ‎Appeals, and Oregon Supreme Court.‎
  • Represented private airstrip with entitlement and ‎appeals for property in an exclusive farm use zone.‎
  • Manage all aspects of the development, regulatory ‎approval, and subsequent appellate proceedings for a ‎‎170+ acre luxury housing development in Bend, ‎Oregon, including land use entitlement, state water ‎rights, and surface mining permitting. ‎
  • Legal representation to real estate investors, including ‎handling complex operating agreements, security ‎agreements, and private placement memoranda.‎

Education

  • University of Washington, Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration (2007)‎
  • Lewis & Clark, Law School, Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, Cornelius Honor Society ‎‎(2014)‎

Admissions

  • Oregon State Courts
  • Washington State Courts

Memberships

  • Central Oregon Impact Summit, Advisory Board Member ‎‎(2015-present)‎
  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Member, Government Relations Committee (2023-present)
  • Phi Kappa Psi (2003-present) ‎

Awards

  • Recognized by Connect CRE as a Seattle Lawyer Real Estate Award Recipient (2024)
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Natural Resources Law (2021-2025)‎
  • Ninth Circuit Review, Lewis and Clark
  • Dean’s Scholarship for Excellence, Lewis and Clark (2011-‎‎2014)‎
  • Cascade Business News, Accomplished Under 40 (2015)‎

Community Activities

  • Bend Chamber of Commerce, Advocacy Council, Chair (2019-‎present); Vice Chair (2015-2019) ‎
  • Bend Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee, Chair ‎‎(2019-present) ‎
  • Bend Chamber of Commerce, Member (2016-2019)‎
  • Political Action Committee (PAC) Board, Member (2018-‎present) ‎
  • Leadership Bend Advisory Board (2015-present)‎
  • Leadership Bend Class of 2015 ‎
  • Lewis and Clark Environmental Law Review, Associate ‎Editor (2012-2014)‎

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