Commissioner Geoffrey S. Yarema

Commissioner Geoffrey S. Yarema

Geoffrey S. Yarema is a Los Angeles-based partner of the law firm of Nossaman Guthner Knox & Elliott LLP and chairs the firm's nationally recognized Infrastructure Practice Group. The firm is widely considered to be an industry leader in shaping our nation's surface transportation policies.

More than 25 U.S. state departments of transportation and regional transportation agencies have sought out Nossaman to advise them on the delivery of their states' most critical infrastructure. Frequently acting as Special Assistant Attorney General, Geoff advises governors, state legislatures and state transportation secretaries on the broad range of tools in the “transportation tool box,” including, among others, conventional procurement and finance, Design-Build and Design-Build-Maintain procurements, public-private partnerships, toll concessions, private equity investment, TIFIA, GARVEEs, private activity bonds, state infrastructure banks, user fees, value pricing, availability payment contracts and credit market issues.

Projects under firm advisement have included:

$2.8 billion State Highway 121 Turnpike in Dallas , Texas - first concession combining an existing turnpike with the construction of a major extension.

$1.5 billion Port of Miami Tunnel Project - blending U.S. and European procurement and financing techniques - first availability payment concession in the United States .

$604 million Pocahontas Parkway - first privately financed concession and transfer of an existing asset under Virginia 's Public-Private Transportation Act.

$1.9 billion Hudson - Bergen Light Rail Transit System – one of the largest public works projects in New Jersey history.

Geoff has been recognized by California Lawyer as one of the top 25 attorneys for the year 2000 and is the recipient of the 2003 American Road and Transportation Builders Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public-Private Ventures. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia where he was Articles Editor of the Virginia Journal of International Law and recipient of the Hardy Cross Dillard Prize on International Law. He received his B.S. from the University of Florida , Phi Beta Kappa, in environmental policy and science.