Amara Harrell, Shareholder

Amara is a shareholder and a member of the firm’s public agency and business services practice groups where she represents both public and private sector clients in a wide range of commercial and residential real estate transactions, land use matters, and related construction law litigation.

Legal Experience

In practice since 2001, Amara has experience in advising and representing clients in a variety of real estate and construction matters. This experience includes reviewing and advising clients on numerous transactional documents including:

  • Construction contracts
  • Real estate agreements
  • Lease agreements
  • Insurance agreements
  • Joint venture agreements
  • Development agreements
  • Land use permits
  • Public offering statements
  • Declarations of covenants, conditions, and restrictions
  • (CCRs) and related homeowners’ association documents

Amara also has experience negotiating, restructuring, and amending contracts and negotiating settlement of disputes involving:

  • Sale and lease of real estate
  • Mechanic’s liens
  • Foreclosures
  • Land use
  • Construction
  • Zoning

She has also handled multi-party disputes involving parties such as architects, engineers, contractors, roofers, developers, and subcontractors.

Amara has considerable experience in all aspects of case development including administration, motions and pleadings, depositions and other discovery practices, court appearances, and mediation and arbitration proceedings.

Prior to joining Kronick, Amara worked for more than five years as an associate attorney and then contract attorney for a Honolulu, Hawaii real estate and construction law firm. While there, she handled a variety of complex real estate and construction cases. While in law school, she completed two legal internships in San Francisco, one for the Fair Employment and Housing Commission and the other for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Practice Examples

Following are examples of legal matters Amara has handled for clients:

  • Representing a Hawaii developer of multi-million dollar oceanfront lots in defense of claims brought by purchasers over the interpretation of CCR provisions and public offering statements as they relate to the Hawaii Land Sales Act
  • Representing one of the largest home-builders in Honolulu in defense of class action design and construction defect claims and numerous architects in defense of design and defect claims of large commercial projects, including design/build projects
  • Drafting and negotiating cell phone tower lease agreements and parking lease agreements
  • Drafting of real property deeds, easements, and water well agreements
  • Performing due diligence related to real property issues

Professional Activities and Affiliations

Amara enjoys providing services for her community and has employed her legal talents outside of the workplace. Most recently, she provided pro bono services for a school serving gifted and dyslexic children, advising the school on employment matters and also representing them in discrimination complaints. Her professional affiliations include:

  • The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law (2021-2024)
  • Top Lawyers, Sacramento Magazine (2023)
  • Member, California State Bar Association
  • Member, Sacramento County Bar Association
  • Member, Hawaii State Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • California State Bar#244795

Academic Background

J.D. Golden Gate University School of Law, 2000

  • Graduated cum laude
  • Dean’s Honor List
  • Recipient of four American Jurisprudence Awards and 4 CALI Awards
  • Editor, Law Review

B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz, 1988