This is the property of the Daily Journal Corporation and fully protected by copyright. It is made available only to Daily Journal subscribers for personal or collaborative purposes and may not be distributed, reproduced, modified, stored or transferred without written permission. Please click "Reprint" to order presentation-ready copies to distribute to clients or use in commercial marketing materials or for permission to post on a website. and copyright (showing year of publication) at the bottom.
Subscribe to the Daily Journal for access to Daily Appellate Reports, Verdicts, Judicial Profiles and more...

Oct. 22, 2026

Small firm, big footprint: Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac thrives on a lean model

The Los Angeles land use boutique has built a formidable practice by rejecting the traditional big-firm business model. With experienced lawyers, in-house planners and minimal overhead, the firm is navigating California's constantly changing development laws while preparing for its next generation of leadership.

Small firm, big footprint: Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac thrives on a lean model

At Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac LLP, there is no receptionist, no reception desk and not a single paralegal.

The six-attorney Los Angeles land use boutique recently cut its office space in half. Its lawyers generally work without legal secretaries, and clients rarely visit the office. Three experienced land use planners handle much of the work that larger firms might assign to junior attorneys.

It is an unusually spare operation for a firm whose lawyers hav... (continued)

To continue reading, please subscribe.
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$895, but save $100 when you subscribe today… Just $795 for the first year!

Already a subscriber?

Enewsletter Sign-up