Hanson Bridgett Builds on California Growth with Real Estate Partners in San Diego and San Francisco
Lateral partners strengthen the firm’s all-California vision and follow December San Diego Office opening
SAN FRANCISCO – Feb. 24, 2026 – Hanson Bridgett LLP, a California-based full-service law firm headquartered in San Francisco with offices across the state, announced today that Tara Castro Narayanan and Susan Daly, real estate partners with significant experience in common interest developments and subdivided land projects, have joined the firm’s Real Estate & Environment Section in San Francisco and San Diego, respectively. The hires further strengthen Hanson Bridgett’s presence in key California markets as the firm expands statewide.
Narayanan and Daly join Hanson Bridgett from Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP, where they built a leading practice advising developers, builders, owners, and investors on complex residential, commercial, mixed-use, and master-planned real estate projects throughout California and the western United States.
With Narayanan based in the Bay Area and Daly in San Diego, the additions strengthen Hanson Bridgett’s position in both northern and southern California’s active real estate markets. The hires follow the firm’s December office opening in San Diego and complements its capabilities in land use, environmental review, construction, land development, and regulatory compliance.
“California is the center of our strategy,” said Kristina Lawson, Managing Partner. “California is one of the most active and competitive legal markets in the country, and clients need counsel who understand the complexity of its regulatory and business environment. We’ve been rooted here for decades, and our growth is intentional — aligned with what our clients require across California. Tara and Susan’s decision to join underscores the momentum of our firm and commitment to California.”
Both attorneys said Hanson Bridgett’s California focus and culture were central to their decision to join.
“It really feels like coming home,” said Narayanan. “Hanson Bridgett is a place where people build long-term careers, and that says a great deal about the culture and the firm.”
Daly added, “Hanson Bridgett understands California. Its statewide presence and culture of collaboration align with how we practice and how our clients operate. We share the firm’s values and focus on thoughtful growth, community engagement, and long-term client relationships.”
California remains one of the most complex real estate development environments in the country, with evolving subdivision laws, environmental review requirements, and land use regulations that vary by jurisdiction.
A groundbreaking focus of Narayanan and Daly’s practice is adaptive reuse — the repurposing of underutilized office and commercial buildings into residential and mixed-use developments. As California faces a housing shortage and high office vacancy rates, developers are relying on adaptive reuse to convert underutilized office and commercial space into housing and mixed-use developments.
They collaborate with regulatory agencies, including the California Department of Real Estate, with experts on the Federal National Mortgage Association, Federal Housing Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and with engineers specializing in land use, to structure projects from entitlement through financing and execution, guiding projects from concept through completion under one roof. Adaptive reuse of commercial-only space into projects that include for-sale housing is as game-changing for state and national agencies and local government entities as it is for Narayanan and Daly.
“Our adaptive reuse work is grounded in decades of experience delivering complex projects from the ground up — experience that’s essential to making these developments succeed,” said Daly. “There’s a shortage of housing in places like San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles, and at the same time a surplus of underutilized office space. We help clients work through the regulatory, financing, and structural complexities required to adaptively reuse those assets and make them viable.”
“What makes this moment different and notable is that regulatory agencies recognize the need for solutions.” Daly added. “There’s a willingness to work collaboratively to adapt existing frameworks so these projects can move forward.”
“California has long been a proving ground for complex development challenges,” said Narayanan. “If adaptive reuse can succeed here, it creates a model other states may follow.”
“Adaptive reuse is one of the most important development conversations happening in California today,” said Lawson. “Bringing this expertise in-house allows us to support clients across the full lifecycle of these projects — from regulatory strategy and structuring through execution and delivery.”
Narayanan and Daly will be joined by Associate Sam Brink and two paralegals, who are expected to join Hanson Bridgett in the coming weeks, further strengthening the firm’s real estate bench.
Tara Castro Narayanan
Narayanan advises developers, builders, and owners on the structuring, mapping, and governance of residential, commercial, and mixed-use real estate developments, including master-planned communities, high-rise condominiums, business parks, and affordable housing projects. Her practice spans subdivision strategy, regulatory compliance, and project approvals, allowing clients to navigate complex development matters from formation through completion.
Susan Daly
Daly advises clients on complex residential and commercial real estate developments, with a focus on subdivided land projects and mixed-use communities throughout California. She has extensive experience guiding master-planned, high-rise, and resort developments through working closely with regulators and lenders to structure projects that are viable and financeable.
About Hanson Bridgett
Hanson Bridgett LLP is an Am Law 200 law firm with more than 200 attorneys and offices across California. Rooted in California and well-versed in its complex legal landscape, the firm proudly serves clients nationwide. The firm is structured to support businesses, public agencies, nonprofits, and individuals spanning industries including: construction, corporate and risk management, government and transportation, employer services, health and senior care, wealth management, and real estate and environment. As the first law firm certified as a B Corp, Hanson Bridgett is deeply committed to public service, sustainability, and advancing the communities where we live and work – in California and beyond.
For media inquiries, contact:
Patrick L. Clos
Communications Manager
Hanson Bridgett LLP
415-995-5098
[email protected]
