Renowned land use attorney Lora Lucero joins Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program

Lora Lucero, an urban planner, land use attorney, and adjunct professor of law at the University of New Mexico, will be teaching planning law and ethics courses in the Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program.

Those who follow land use law issues should be familiar with Lora’s work. She edited the American Planning Association’s legal journal - Planning & Environmental Law - for many years, and coordinated the filing of amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs for APA in state and federal courts in many important planning law cases over the past 10 years.

She is co-editor of a leading text on the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act - RLUIPA Reader: Religious Land Use, Zoning, and the Courts (Planners Press 2009) and has authored numerous articles on water, climate change and planning law issues.  Lora is also editor of the American Bar Association - Section of State & Local Government Law’s quarterly newsletter.

Lora will be teaching Current Trends in Land Use Law, from January 5 to February 12, 2011. One of the more popular courses in BOCEP, this class helps participants better understand and prepare to address hot topics in planning law today. She will be teaching Ethics in Planning and Land Use Regulations in 2011 .

With more than 30 years experience, Lora brings both a practical and academic perspective on planning, environmental and land use law to BOCEP. She began her career as a public sector planner in California. Following law school, she moved to New Mexico and quickly established herself as a strong advocate for reforming that state’s planning statutes.  She has worked with both urban and rural communities, drafting impact fee ordinances, zoning regulations, and community plans. Most recently, Lora has turned her attention to the emerging field of climate law.

BOCEP and the Professional Development Institute are delighted and honored that Lora is joining our pool of instructors.