The Firm
Ryan J. Patterson, Managing Partner
For more than a decade, Ryan Patterson has been a leader in the fields of land use, building permits, real estate litigation, and environmental law. He is also at the forefront of state housing law – shaping, testing, and applying complex laws in new and creative ways to help his clients succeed.
Ryan represents a wide variety of clients in Planning Commission hearings, permit appeals, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews, mediations, and litigation in state and federal courts.
Before starting the firm, Ryan was a named partner at Zacks, Freedman & Patterson, PC, in San Francisco, California. Ryan completed a postgraduate international business fellowship in London with the Mountbatten Institute and Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP, and garnered additional experience in Cairo, Egypt, at the International Development Law Organization. He also has experience in the California Governor’s Office and statewide political campaigns.
Ryan is honored to serve as general counsel for Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY Law) and YIMBY Action. In his free time, he serves on the board of directors of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and as vice president of the Upper Noe Neighbors Association.
Education
- UCLA School of Law: J.D., 2011
- President, UCLA Business Law Association
- Editor-in-Chief, UCLA Journal of International Law & Foreign Affairs
- Claremont McKenna College: B.A. in Government, 2007
Brian O'Neill, Partner
Brian O’Neill has extensive experience in land use, entitlements, and environmental law. He has a deep knowledge of California’s housing laws and how to utilize state law to achieve the best outcome for clients.
Prior to joining the firm, Brian was an associate at Zacks, Freedman & Patterson, PC, in San Francisco, where he represented clients in litigation, as well as regularly appearing at planning commissions, city councils, and other government agencies.
Prior to entering private practice, Brian served at the California Coastal Commission, where he worked on permit appeals for a wide range of projects, including commercial and residential development, public infrastructure, and habitat restoration. In addition, he negotiated with local governments on the development of general plan amendments and zoning ordinances related to short-term rentals, density bonus projects, accessory dwelling units, and more.
Brian received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado Law School, where he focused on environmental and administrative law. During law school, he gained experience at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and as a judicial intern with the late Justice Gregory Hobbs of the Colorado Supreme Court.
Education
- Colorado Law, University of Colorado Boulder: J.D., 2013
- Order of the Coif
- Production Editor, Colorado Environmental Law Review
- National Energy Moot Court Team, Barristers’ Council
- Legal Writing Teaching Assistant for Professor Al Canner
- Pennsylvania State University: B.S. in Secondary Education, 2006
Laura Strazzo, Partner
Laura Strazzo’s practice encompasses a wide range of real estate disputes, including purchase and sale, nondisclosure, co-ownership and HOA matters, construction issues, land use, entitlements, and environmental law. She represents developers, property owners, trustees, and business owners throughout California in all stages of litigation. She enjoys helping her clients come up with creative solutions to reach their preferred results.
Prior to joining the firm, Laura was an associate at Zacks, Freedman & Patterson, PC, in San Francisco, where she represented clients in all aspects of real estate litigation.
Laura received her Juris Doctorate from the UC Davis School of Law, where she focused on property and environmental law. While in law school, she interned at the U.S. Department of Justice and at the Natural Resources Defense Council. She received her undergraduate degree from UC Santa Cruz and her master’s degree in urban planning and community development from UC Davis.
Laura lives in San Francisco with her husband, children, and dog Django, where she enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Education
- UC Davis School of Law: J.D., 2016
- Witkin Award in Suing the Government
- Editor-in-Chief, Environs: Environmental Law and Policy Journal
- John Paul Stevenson Fellowship
- UC Davis: M.S. in Urban Planning and Community Development, 2013
- UC Santa Cruz: B.A. in Politics, 2008
Ephraim Margolin, Associate
Ephraim (“Eppi”) Margolin is an associate attorney in Patterson & O’Neill’s Los Angeles office. Eppi brings deep expertise in land use, housing development, and code enforcement from his previous role as a Deputy City Attorney. Prior to joining Patterson & O'Neill, Eppi worked at Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Los Angeles and Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC in Pasadena as Deputy City Attorney for the cities of San Marino, Simi Valley, Bellflower, Monterey Park, Calabasas, Ojai, and Barstow. Eppi now draws on his experience advising municipal clients as he helps real estate developers and property owners navigate cities’ entitlement processes.
Eppi received his Juris Doctorate from Berkeley Law, earning an American Jurisprudence Award and a Prosser Prize for academic excellence. During law school, Eppi worked for several federal and local agencies, including the Oakland City Attorney’s Office and the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and he completed externships at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Renters Legal Advocacy and Education Fund (now the California Housing Defense Fund). Eppi graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Education
- UC Berkeley School of Law: J.D., 2018
- American Jurisprudence Award
- Prosser Prize
- Publishing Editor, Berkeley Journal of Entertainment & Sports Law
- UCLA: B.A. in Philosophy, 2014
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 950
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 907-9110
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Francisco
811 West 7th Street, Suite 1200
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 877-3110