Attorneys

Justine represents private entities and other organizations on a variety of land use, planning and entitlement matters throughout all stages of the real estate development process. Her practice consists of land use due diligence, entitlement management and processing, appearing before public entities in connection with development projects, CEQA regulatory compliance matters including preparation and review of environmental documents, and post-approval implementation of entitlements. She has experience with a variety of product types including multi-family residential, mixed-use, life sciences, commercial/retail, hotel, and institutional uses including schools and hospitals. She has expertise in matters related to the Coastal Act, the Subdivision Map Act, CEQA, Density Bonus, historical resource regulations, other related statutes. She also assists clients in reviewing and drafting land use ordinances, permit findings, and similar land use regulatory documents.

• Represented large retail developer in obtaining land use approvals for redevelopment of portion of large regional shopping center in UTC.
• Represented large multi-family developer in obtaining land use entitlements and CEQA approvals for large mixed-use project in Mission Valley.
• Represented developer in obtaining land use entitlements and CEQA approvals for controversial shopping center project in San Diego County.
• Represented social services organization in obtaining land use entitlements for transitional housing facility in City of San Diego.
• Advised large multi-family joint venture in land use entitlement issues related to large mixed-use project located Downtown.

• Urban Land Institute San Diego-Tijuana District Council – Governance Chair
• Downtown San Diego Partnership - Board of Directors
• San Diego County Taxpayers Association - Board of Directors
• Navajo Community Planners - Board Member (2017- 2021)
• City of San Diego - Code Monitoring Team Member (2015-2019)

• JD, California Western School of Law
• BA, San Diego State University

• Clemetson, Jeff. "Difference maker: Justine Nielsen," Mission Times Courier, June 12, 2021.
• “ULI Names New Governance Chair,” San Diego Daily Transcript, February 8, 2021.
• "Attorney Justine Nielsen named governance chair of ULI San Diego-Tijuana," San Diego Metro, February 5, 2021.
• Garrick, David. "9-member panel appointed to redraw San Diego's council district boundaries," San Diego Union-Tribune, September 25, 2020.
• Biberman, Thor Kamban. “ULI Panel Discusses Middle Market Housing,” San Diego Daily Transcript, February 12, 2020.
• Jolly, Vik. “SDBJ Insider: Book Offers Advice From a Woman Who’s Been There,” San Diego Business Journal, February 17, 2019.“Procopio Elevates Pair of Lawyers To Partnership,” The Daily Transcript, January 14, 2019.
• Reuter, Elise. “Two Procopio Attorneys Promoted to Partner,” San Diego Business Journal Online, January 13, 2019.
• Armao, Mark. “City Revamps Incentive Program,” San Diego Daily Transcript, August 6, 2018.
• Wilson, Jay. "Del Cerro Action Council News," Mission Times Courier, October 20, 2017.

• Author. "California Cannabis Laws," a Meritas guide to cannabis laws in the U.S. and Canada, January 2021.
• Co-Author. "City of San Diego Continues To Expand Zoning Flexibility For Granny Flats," October 29, 2020.
• Author. “Emergency Moratorium on Evictions Takes Effect in the City Of San Diego,” April 1, 2020.
• Co-author. “Landlord-Tenant Issues, Granny Flats, HOAs and more: 2020 Real Estate and Land Use Updates,” January 7, 2020.
• Co-author. "2019 Finds Commercial and Residential Real Estate Owners Under New Laws and Regulations," January 29, 2019.
• Co-author. “Thinking of Relocating Your Business? The City of San Diego May Pay You to Stay,” Attorney Journal, San Diego, Volume 181, 2018.
• Co-author. “Thinking of Relocating Your Business? The City of San Diego May Pay You To Stay,” July 26, 2018.
• Co-author. Identifying Financially Feasible Community Oriented Development Opportunities at Mid-City Transit Hubs, April 2016
• Author. San Diego Rescue Mission Young Leaders Pro Bono TAP, April 2015
• Author. What’s at Stake in Barrio Logan, Voice of San Diego, August 2013