Attorneys

Victor Pappalardo

Associate

Land Use & Municipal Law

Mr. Pappalardo joined Berliner Cohen in 2005. His practice focuses on land use, real estate and municipal law. 

Prior to coming to Berliner Cohen, he worked for nearly a decade in transactional real estate and land use activities, including seven years as the primary real estate attorney for the City of San Jose, where his responsibilities included negotiating and drafting purchase and sale agreements, option agreements, joint use agreements with other public agencies, city office leases and leases for use of city structures to cell service providers.  Notably he negotiated the City’s $80 million acquisition of 50+ acres from FMC Corporation for the San Jose Airport.  Mr. Pappalardo also represented the San Jose Redevelopment Agency in transactions to acquire and dispose of properties for affordable housing.

During his time with the City of San Jose, Mr. Pappalardo also served as counsel to the City’s Rent Control and Mobile Home Advisory Commissions and the Community Development Block Grant Program. 

Prior to working in transactional real estate, Mr. Pappalardo worked as a litigator for nearly seven years.  His litigation practice focused mainly on housing, public benefits and civil rights matters.

Education/Honors

  • University of Michigan Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1989
    • Articles Editor, Michigan Journal of International Law
    • Published, "Isolationism of Deference: The Alien Tort Claims Act and the Separation of Powers," Michigan Journal of International Law, Volume X, Winter, 1989
  • Duke University, A.B., magna cum laude, 1985
  • Legal Intern, United Nations Center for Human Rights, Geneva Switzerland, 1990
  • Law Clerk, Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1990 – 1991

Representative Matters

  • Represented the City of Gilroy, the South County Regional Wastewater Authority, the Contra Costa Water District and the City of Los Altos in ongoing negotiations to complete real property acquisitions, including a complex acquisition of property for the Alternative Intake Project planned by the Contra Costa Water District
  • Represented the City of Gilroy in negotiating several ongoing development agreements
  • Worked on Development Agreements for Sobrato Corporation and Summerhill Homes with the City of Santa Clara

Professional Admissions

  • State Bar of California, 1991 – present
  • State Bar of Maine, 1991 – present
  • State Bar of Missouri, 2000 – present
  • United States District Court, Northern and Eastern Districts of California

Activities/Memberships

  • State Bar of California, Member, Real Property Law Section
  • Santa Clara County Bar Association, Chairperson, Real Property Section

Languages

  • Fluent in Spanish