Cox Castle Mourns the Passing of Partner Michael Zischke
LOS ANGELES, CA, (January 9, 2025) – It is with profound sadness that Cox Castle announces Michael Zischke, a partner and leading land use and environmental attorney, passed away on Thursday, January 2nd. Mike was a partner in Cox Castle’s San Francisco office for nearly 18 years.
Survived by his wife Nadine and daughters Julie and Jessica, Mike will be fondly remembered by his colleagues as someone for whom the profession was always personal and who cared deeply about his work.
Mike was a talented and award-winning land use and environmental lawyer. He was recognized for his extensive knowledge in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) litigation and compliance. He co-authored the two-volume treatise Practice Under the California Environmental Quality Act, the CEQA treatise most often cited by California courts, which was first published in 1993 and is now in its second edition.
Over his 40+ year career, his commitment and passion for his work resulted in numerous professional accolades and countless published articles. For 22 consecutive years, Mike was ranked as one of California’s leading attorneys in both environmental law and real estate/land use by Chambers USA, one of the most prestigious awards in the legal industry. According to Chambers USA, Mike’s clients touted him as “one of the leading land use attorneys in the US" and “an excellent environmental attorney."
“Mike embodied so many of the characteristics we value here at Cox Castle,” observed Mathew Wyman, Chair of Cox Castle. “He possessed a deep commitment in service to the real estate industry, our clients, and the firm. He gave generously of his time, always willing to collaborate with his colleagues and mentor our young lawyers. But even more than that, what I think we will really miss at the firm, is Mike’s presence in the office. He genuinely cared deeply for his friends and colleagues, and he always took time to listen to and ask about the welfare of those around him. It goes without saying that he will be remembered as a preeminent lawyer whose impact will be long lasting, But for those of us lucky enough to have been able to spend time with Mike, he will always serve as an inspiration as we strive to move forward while honoring his legacy.”
“Mike had a true passion for the law, and he brought that to his practice as a leading partner at Cox Castle, ever since joining us in 2007,” observed Dwayne McKenzie, Managing Partner of Cox Castle. ”Mike was a mentor to many of us – partners and associates alike. His was always a voice of wisdom, reason, and wit. He was both a scholar and a lawyer's lawyer, in every sense of the word. He was an extraordinary person and an outstanding lawyer. He will be sorely missed by all of us.”
Mike, a mentor and friend to many in the legal profession, was involved in numerous professional organizations. He was a founding member of the advisory board for the Center for Law, Energy & Environment at Berkeley Law, and was involved with Lambda Alpha (honorary land economics society), the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the California Building Industry Association, among many others. He received a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 1982 and a B.A. from Dartmouth College in 1977.
