LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the law firms of Robertson & Associates, LLP and Baron & Budd announced a $20 million settlement with Southern California Edison on behalf of the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA) for damage to its parklands and infrastructure caused by the 2018 Woolsey Fire. MRCA is a Joint Powers Agency between the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (a state agency created by the Legislature) and the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. MRCA manages over 75,000 acres of parkland in Southern California. Approximately 14,800 acres of MRCA's parkland was damaged during the Woolsey Fire.
JAMS Mediator Judge Jay Gandhi (Ret.) presided over several days of mediation sessions held in Los Angeles, California and assisted the parties in their negotiations.
“The Woolsey Fire caused tremendous damage to the recreational and ecological value of MRCA's parklands,” said Alexander Robertson, IV, of Robertson & Associates, LLP. “This money will help MRCA continue its mission to provide stewardship for a wide variety of public park and open spaces in the Southern California mountains.”
“While Edison faces additional liabilities, it has resolved this significant ecological claim,” said Baron & Budd Shareholder John Fiske. “Edison’s resolution will help strengthen the community that MRCA serves.”
Alexander Robertson, IV of Robertson & Associates, John Fiske and Torri Sherlin of Baron & Budd, alongside co-counsel Joseph Liebman of Law Offices of Joseph Liebman, Robert Curtis of Foley, Bezek, Behle & Curtis and Geoff Spreter and Ben Petiprin of Spreter & Petiprin represented MRCA in the settlement.
Robertson's legal team represents 1,700 individual plaintiffs in the Thomas Fire and Woolsey Fire cases. John Fiske of Baron & Budd negotiated a $360 million settlement with Edison last November on behalf of 23 public entities for the Thomas and Woolsey Fire cases.
