Lawyer Overview

Christopher M. Harding practices in the areas of real estate, land use and civil litigation. Harding's primary expertise is in land use law and the development of commercial, residential, institutional and industrial properties. He has extensive experience in land use and related litigation, including appellate and California Supreme Court cases.

Harding earned his bachelor of arts degree in political science from Loyola Marymount University in 1974, where he graduated magna cum laude, and earned his juris doctor degree from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1977. While in law school, he worked as a research fellow to Professor Donald Hagman in the field of land use and urban planning.

Harding's community participation includes substantial involvement in the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, serving as president of the Chamber in 1990-91. Harding currently serves as co-chair of the Chamber's Land Use Committee and as counsel to its Automobile Dealers Committee.

Harding has been a member of the Board of Directors of First Federal Bank of California since 1984. He is the Chair of First Federal's Compensation Committee and a member of its Wealth Management and Trust Committee.

In 1991, Harding was appointed by the Santa Monica City Council to serve on the City's Charter Review Commission that was formed to recommend revisions to the Santa Monica City Charter. Harding previously served on the City of Santa Monica's Residential Task Force.

Harding has also been extensively involved in efforts to improve public education. He is currently a member of the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District's Financial Oversight Committee and its Facilities Committee, and a member of the Steering Committee of the Committee for Excellent Public Schools.

Harding has been extensively involved in local nonprofit and charitable activities. He is a past president of the Santa Monica Youth Athletic Foundation and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Santa Monica Boys and Girls Club. He is the founder and President of the Santa Monica Basketball Club and has lived in Santa Monica for more than 30 years. 

Areas of Practice

• Real Estate
• Land Use Law
• Civil Litigation
• Development of Commercial
• Residential
• Institutional and Industrial Properties
• Land Use and Related Litigation
• Appellate

West Practice Categories

Estate Planning, Family Law, Litigation & Appeals, Real Estate Law, Land Use & Zoning

Bar Admissions

• California, 1977

Professional Associations and Memberships

• First Federal Bank of California, 1984 - Present (Member, Board of Directors)
• First Federal's Compensation Committee (Chair)
• Wealth Management and Trust Committee (Member)
• City's Charter Review Commission
• City of Santa Monica's Residential Task Force
• Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District's Financial Oversight Committee (Member, Facilities Committee)
• Committee for Excellent Public Schools (Member, Steering Committee)

Pro Bono Activities

• President of the Chamber, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, 1990 - 1991
• Co-Chair, Chamber's Land Use Committee
• Counsel, Chamber's Automobile Dealers Committee
• Past President, Santa Monica Youth Athletic Foundation
• Member, Advisory Board of the Santa Monica Boys and Girls Club
• Founder and President, Santa Monica Basketball Club

Education

• University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, 1977
  Juris Doctor
  Honors: Worked as a Research Fellow to Professor Donald Hagman
• Loyola Marymount University, 1974
  Bachelor of Arts
  Honors: magna cum laude
  Major: Political Science

Address

1250 Sixth Street
Suite 300
Santa Monica, CA 90401-1612

Phones

(310) 393-1007

Faxes

(310) 458-1959
(310) 392-3537

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.hlkklaw.com