Miller Starr Regalia (MSR), a preeminent California real estate and land use law firm for more than 60 years, today announced that four of its shareholders are included in the 2025 Northern California Super Lawyers list. Three additional lawyers Samantha L Chen, associate; Nicholas E. Ma, shareholder and James Swearingen, shareholder; were included in the Rising Stars list.
“We are incredibly proud to see our attorneys recognized as Northern California Super Lawyers,” said Ella K. Gower, Miller Starr Regalia’s managing shareholder. “This honor reflects the depth of talent across our firm and the exceptional service our lawyers provide for our clients every day. It’s especially gratifying to see both well-established attorneys and emerging attorneys acknowledged for their excellence.”
2025 Northern California Super Lawyers
San Francisco Office
F. Gale Connor, Real Estate – Connor's practice focuses on real property law including, commercial leasing, real property acquisitions and dispositions, as well as eminent domain and inverse condemnation.
Walnut Creek Office
Arthur F. Coon, Environmental Litigation – Coon is Chair Emeritus of the Land Use Department and Chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice Group and represents clients in the areas of CEQA, environmental, and land use litigation.
Hans A. Lapping, Real Estate – Lapping's practice focuses on retail, office, industrial leasing and real property acquisitions and dispositions.
Basil "Bill" S. Shiber, Business Litigation – Shiber is the former Chair of the Litigation Department and Chair of the Eminent Domain & Inverse Condemnation Practice Group and represents clients in all aspects of real estate related disputes, both in and out of court.
2025 Northern California Rising Stars
Walnut Creek Office
Samantha L. Chen, Real Estate – Chen is an experienced litigator, having practiced in both state and federal courts, advising clients on a diverse range of matters including real property and land use issues.
Nicholas E. Ma, Real Estate – Ma has significant experience representing clients in a wide range of litigation, including disputes involving the purchase and sale of commercial property, easement rights, real estate investment and financing, and commercial leases.
James Swearingen, Business Litigation – Swearingen represents and advises his clients on real estate and complex commercial litigation matters with an emphasis on disputes involving commercial leases, eminent domain/inverse condemnation, complex construction, easement rights, non-disclosure/broker liability and partnership/corporate governance.
Super Lawyers publishes lists of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Only five percent of lawyers in a state are chosen each year as Super Lawyers and only 2.5 percent are chosen each year as Rising Stars.
Miller Starr Regalia
Miller Starr Regalia has had a well-established reputation as a leading real estate law firm for more than sixty-years. For nearly all that time, our firm has written Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th, a 12-volume treatise on California real estate law. We call it “the Book.” The Book is the most-widely used and judicially-recognized real estate treatise in California and is cited by practicing attorneys and courts throughout the state. Our firm has experience in all real property matters, including full-service litigation and dispute resolution services, transactions, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, common interest development, construction, management, title insurance, environmental law, and land use. For more information, visit www.msrlegal.com.
