Norma Nava Franklin is a Deputy Attorney General in the Land Use and Conservation Section of the California Department of Justice. She represents California state agencies in litigation in federal and state forums on matters involving housing and housing element enforcement, resource conservation of environmentally sensitive habitats, protection and maintenance of state lands, and coastal development. Norma returned to public service after a decade in private practice.

Previously, she was a partner in the Los Angeles office of Garcia Hernandez Sawhney, LLP. Her practice specialized in complex litigation and representing the firm’s education and municipal clients. After graduating from UCLA School of Law, Norma clerked for Hon. Oliver W. Wanger (ret.), United States District Court, Eastern District of California. Norma is a seasoned trial attorney with vast experience litigating complex disputes in federal, state, appellate, and administrative tribunals.

Apart from her litigation work, Norma is passionate about civil rights. She worked as a legal fellow with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Drug Law Reform Project and is Vice President of For People of Color, Inc., an organization that provides free law school admissions consulting services to thousands of potential law school students.

Specialties: Litigation, Public Law, Environmental Law

Law School:  University of California at Los Angeles School of Law

Practice Regions: State of California, United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, United States District Court for the Central District of California

Accomplishments:

2018 Hispanic National Bar Association Top Lawyers under 40

2015 Justice Cruz Reynoso Community Service Award, Mexican American Bar Association

2014 Alumna of the Year, UCLA School of Law La Raza Law Students Association

2005 Hewlett Foundation I American Bar Association Section of Environment Energy and Resources Minority Fellowship Program-Environmental Justice Fellow

Community Involvement:

Vice President and Board Member, For People of Color, Inc.

Member, Mexican American Bar Association

Member, Latina Lawyers Bar Association