Star serves as senior counsel and has widely contributed to Miller Starr Regalia publications. She serves as the senior editor of the treatise, Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th and produces the bimonthly periodical Miller & Starr, California Real Estate Newsalert.
Star Lightner is senior counsel in the Walnut Creek office of Miller Starr Regalia, and senior editor of the treatise Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th and associated publications. She is currently the update author for six chapters of the Treatise and writes the majority of summaries for the bimonthly periodical Miller & Starr, California Real Estate Newsalert, in addition to overseeing the Treatise and Newsalert publication process.
Star previously practiced at Farella Braun + Martel LLP as well as Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker in San Francisco where she handled administrative enforcement actions before the California Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Toxic Substances Control, as well as compliance counseling and litigation involving CERCLA, CEQA, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Proposition 65).
J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (1997)
B.A., California State University, Sonoma (1990)
Contra Costa Association of Realtors
Contra Costa County Bar Association, Real Estate Section
State Bar of California, Real Estate Section
THE BOOK: Miller & Starr, California Real Estate
Ch. 11, “Holding Title,” Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th (update author)
Ch. 19, “Landowners’ Liability,” Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th (rewritten in 2015)
Ch. 31, “Construction Law and Contracting,” Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th (rewritten in 2016-2017)
Ch. 32, “Mechanics Liens,” Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th (update author)
Ch. 33, “Defective Construction,” Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th (update author)
Ch. 38, “Discrimination,” Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 4th (rewritten in 2015)
Articles
"Top Ten Real Property Cases Of 2023," California Real Property Journal, Vol. 42, No.1, 2024
"Top Ten Real Property Cases of 2022," California Real Property Journal, Vol. 41, No.1, 2023
"Real Estate Case Update," California Real Property Journal, Vol. 39, No.1, 2021
"The Top Ten Real Property Cases of 2016," California Real Property Journal, Vol. 35, No. 1, 2017 (co-author)
"Fall CEQA Roundup: Significant Developments and a Preview of Coming Attractions," Miller & Starr, Real Estate Newsalert, Vol. 26, No. 2, November 2015 (co-author)
“Proposition 65 Plaintiffs Attacking Meat Industry Being Met With Preemption Argument,” Farella Braun + Martel Alert, May 3, 2005 (co-author)
“Diminishing Returns? Comparing Past and Present Proposition 65 Cases,” Farella Braun + Martel Alert, May 1, 2004
“Federal Preemption of California’s Proposition 65,” Farella Braun + Martel Alert, 2003 (co-author)
“Diminishing Returns? Comparing Past and Present Proposition 65 Cases,” Prop 65 News Conference, San Francisco, California, March 29, 2004
“Federal Preemption of California’s Proposition 65,” Prop 65 News Conference, Sacramento, California, June 2, 2003