Partner

Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith

David Nahai is a leading expert in real estate, energy and water matters. He is the president of David Nahai Consulting Services, LLC, which advises clients in the water and energy sectors, and is also a partner at the law firm of Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith and co-chair of its real estate, energy and water practice areas.

Mr. Nahai is also the former General Manager and Commission President of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the largest municipal utility in the United States. As President and General Manager, Mr. Nahai led the overall transformation of the LADWP, including the origination and execution of the City’s groundbreaking Water Supply Plan; the attainment of historic reductions in water consumption in the City; the unprecedented expansion of the utility’s renewable energy portfolio to 15% (paving the way for the attainment of the 20% level by 2010); the realization of record breaking energy efficiency levels; and the launch and implementation of water and power infrastructure improvement programs.

Mr. Nahai is the former Chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, where he served in the administrations of 3 California Governors. The Regional Water Quality Control Board safeguards the quality of surface, ground, and coastal waters in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, an area with over 11 million residents. He is credited with reinvigorating the effectiveness of the Water Board and spearheading some of its most aggressive programs, especially in the area of coastal protection.
Mr. Nahai has also served as a Senior Advisor to the Clinton Climate Initiative.
Mr. Nahai sits on the Boards of the California League of Conservation Voters, Heal the Bay, the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, LAANE and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
David Nahai holds graduate and post-graduate degrees in law from the London School of Economics and the University of California at Berkeley, and was a Visiting Scholar at Berkeley.
Mr. Nahai has been the recipient of numerous environmental awards and commendations, which include the following:

2003: Environmental Champion Award from the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters
2008: Dorothy Green Award from Heal the Bay
2008: Service Award by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
2012: Sierra Club’s Political Leadership Award
2013: 25th Anniversary Honoree from the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission
2014: Leadership Award from Climate Resolve

For more information please refer to www.davidnahai.com.