LOS ANGELES, CA, September 14, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Damon P. Mamalakis, Esq., has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Marked by three decades of outstanding contributions, Mr. Mamalakis has built a distinguished career in environmental law and land use entitlements with a particular focus on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Since 2013, he has served as both partner and attorney at Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac LLP in Los Angeles. As the firm's sole litigator, he is responsible for all CEQA and land use litigation matters.

In his leadership role, Mr. Mamalakis advises developer clients during the due diligence phase — particularly on entitlements and environmental litigation — and assesses existing development rights as well as necessary changes to support proposed projects. Also collaborating closely with four other partners and planning experts, he analyzes environmental impact reports and other environmental documents across a range of impact categories such as air quality, traffic, noise, greenhouse gas emissions, cultural resources and wildfire risk.

Though Mr. Mamalakis' tenure counts many milestones, including contributions to major development projects such as the renovation of the Hollywood Bowl, 1111 Sunset Boulevard Mixed Use Project, Northlake Mixed Use Development Project and Playa Vista (Phase 1 and Phase 2), one of his proudest achievements at Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac is securing approval for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. This project presented unique challenges, including a historic landmark, the discovery of prehistoric bones during excavation, and methane gas concerns near the La Brea Tar Pits.

On the litigation front, Mr. Mamalakis has been recognized for his influence on multiple precedent-setting cases; in the World Business Academy case regarding the Diablo nuclear power plant, he successfully argued that the last operating nuclear power plant in California did not constitute an unusual circumstance under CEQA's categorical exemption rules. Another significant case, Tustin Ranch v. City of Tustin in 2021, addressed site-size restrictions on infill development; he persuaded the court to consider only the size of the area that was physically impacted by a project rather than the overall site size, which provided valuable guidance for developers throughout California. Most recently, in Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters v. City of Los Angeles, he successfully persuaded the Court of Appeals to reverse the trial court in holding that the addition of a new project alternative to the Final EIR, which was adopted as the proposed project, did not render the Draft EIR project description unstable.

Prior to joining his current firm, Mr. Mamalakis was an associate and then a partner at Latham & Watkins from 1998 to 2013, contributing to the expansion of the firm's environmental litigation practice. His 15-year tenure provided him with foundational training and mentorship, both of which shaped his long-term approach to complex legal issues in environmental law.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Mamalakis served as an attorney at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1996 to 1998. This initial experience in legal practice honed his expertise across diverse aspects of law before he transitioned into specialized environmental litigation.

Alongside his primary roles, Mr. Mamalakis is an active member of both the Los Angeles County Bar Association and The State Bar of California, reflecting his ongoing commitment to professional engagement and legal excellence.

Hailing from an equally accomplished academic background, Mr. Mamalakis earned a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 1996, following a Master of Arts in social psychology from San Francisco State University in 1992 and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1990. His early educational interests centered on biopsychology and cognitive psychology, including research on judgment and decision-making under the renowned professor Daniel Kahneman.

Though Mr. Mamalakis initially intended to teach psychology at the community college level, he shifted paths when changes in California's credentialing system eliminated that opportunity while he was completing a master's degree. Encouraged by his grandfather — himself a lawyer — he recognized that his research background made him well-suited for legal practice. He entered law school at the University of California, Berkeley with an initial interest in entertainment law but discovered his passion for environmental litigation after taking a practitioner-led course during his second year. Over time, he gravitated toward land use litigation due to its reliance on administrative records rather than lengthy discovery processes.

Mentorship has played an equally vital part in Mr. Mamalakis' career trajectory. He is immensely grateful for the formative experiences he had at Latham & Watkins, as well as for the guidance and encouragement from his managing partner at Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac LLP, which helped him further establish his practice and reputation.

In addition to his legal work, Mr. Mamalakis has contributed articles addressing key developments in land use law and high-profile projects for more than a decade, appearing in influential publications such as Daily Journal, Oscars.org and Camarillo Acorn. His contributions to numerous public development projects in California, as well as the wider legal sector, have earned him multiple accolades, including repeated honors as a Southern California Super Lawyer from 2013 through 2026.

Balancing his professional endeavors with a rich personal life, Mr. Mamalakis is happily married to his wife, an attorney who specializes in education law with a focus on charter schools. Together they are the proud parents of two adult daughters; their elder daughter graduated from Tulane University with a degree in psychology and a minor in business before launching her own vintage jewelry enterprise, while their younger daughter earned a business degree from California Polytechnic State University and plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration after gaining work experience. They also share their lives with their dog (Hera) and three cats (Jerry, Susie and Roux).

Equally proud of his Greek heritage, which traces back to Crete on his father's side, Mr. Mamalakis enjoys cooking — especially Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Israeli cuisine — as well as reading, listening to music and working out through spinning, yoga and lifting weights.

Looking toward the future, Mr. Mamalakis aims to continue practicing environmental law and impacting the State of California while maintaining a healthy work-life balance that allows him to pursue both professional satisfaction and personal fulfillment alongside his family.

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