Barry Nutovic
Contact: 714.446.8742, Ext. 704
Barry Nutovic is a senior associate at Tao Rossini, APC, where he advises public and private entities on matters involving real property, land use, construction, environmental law, and insurance. He represents clients in both transactional and litigation matters.
Mr. Nutovic has guided public entities through a broad array of real estate transactions. He is familiar with the complex laws governing school district real property acquisitions and dispositions, from eminent domain and schoolsite acquisition to the 7/11 process and alternative modes of disposition. His familiarity with these regulatory frameworks allows him to help clients select and execute the most effective transactional strategies to meet their objectives.
A highly effective litigator, Mr. Nutovic is known for his strategic and results-oriented approach to dispute resolution. While he works to avoid litigation when possible, he is a tenacious advocate in court when necessary, with a strong track record of delivering favorable outcomes.
Mr. Nutovic is especially recognized in the school facilities industry for his expertise with respect to school impact fees. He has guided numerous school districts through the intricacies of the Mitigation Fee Act, helping them increase fee levels and advising on steps required for legal compliance. He has successfully represented districts in disputes with developers over fee assessments and mitigation agreements.
Before practicing law, Mr. Nutovic served as an analyst for political campaigns, a state legislature, a governor’s office, and a public affairs firm. This background gives him unique insight into the political dynamics that often shape legal issues—particularly those involving public agencies.
Education
Mr. Nutovic received his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2013. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2019.
Blog Posts
Presentations
- Developer Impact Fees: The Origins, Purpose, & Limits
Coalition for Adequate School Housing Webinar
4.25.25
- School Impact Fees: Calexico Unified v. City of Calexico
Coalition for Adequate School Housing Webinar
1.25.24
- Changes in the Law
2023 Coalition for Adequate School Housing Annual Conference
2.24.23
Representative Litigation Matters
- CVUSD v. Lewis. Represented Chino Valley Unified School District (“CVUSD”) in arbitration against real estate developer Lewis Management Corporation (“Lewis”) over school impact fees owed under a mitigation agreement. Lewis refused to pay fees and insisted that CVUSD owed refunds to Lewis. Tao Rossini achieved a multimillion-dollar settlement for CVUSD shortly before the arbitral hearing.
- AESD v. Padre. Represented Anaheim Elementary School District (“AESD”) in litigation against Padre Associates, Inc. over Phase I Environmental Site Assessment that did not identify an historic landfill beneath an elementary school. Tao Rossini secured a substantial settlement for AESD prior to trial.
- CJUSD v. Teri Kirpa. Represented Colton Joint Unified School District (“CJUSD”) in a nuisance action against an illegal truck terminal next door to an elementary school. After the judge granted Tao Rossini’s motion for a preliminary injunction against terminal operations, the case settled and the terminal’s operations ceased permanently.
- BHUSD v. LAUSD. Represented Beverly Hills Unified School District (“BHUSD”) in a dispute with Los Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD”) over title to Beverly Hills High School (“BHHS”). Beverly Hills withdrew from the Los Angeles City High School District, a predecessor district to LAUSD, in 1935, but title to BHHS was not conveyed to BHUSD. In 2019, LAUSD claimed ownership of BHHS. Tao Rossini’s archival research demonstrated BHUSD’s entitlement to the property, after which LAUSD settled and ceased claiming ownership of BHHS.

Contact: 714.446.8742, Ext. 704
Practice Areas
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- Construction—School Facilities
- Construction Claims & Litigation
- Environmental
- Facilities, Construction, Real Estate & Business
- Real Property