Real Estate Partner Sara Neva Named 40 Under 40 Leader by San Diego Business Journal

Procopio Real Estate Partner Sara Neva has been named to the San Diego Business Journal’s 2026 40 Under 40 Leaders list, marking her third time receiving this prestigious recognition. Neva’s practice is central to the commercial real estate sector, focusing on complex property transactions, finance, and joint venture formations for a wide array of industry stakeholders. This accolade highlights the critical role of specialized legal leadership in navigating the regulatory and financial hurdles currently facing developers and investors in the Southwest.

Sara Neva’s selection for the 2026 40 Under 40 Leaders list follows a string of recent professional honors, including her second consecutive year on the SD Metro 40 under 40 list and her inclusion in the Best Lawyers in Real Estate Law for 2026. As a partner at Procopio, Neva provides counsel on real estate, finance, and general business transactions, with specific expertise in property acquisitions, commercial leases, and easements. Her client portfolio is diverse, encompassing developers, builders, lenders, and commercial real estate investors, as well as non-profit organizations and entrepreneurs.

The recognition of Neva’s expertise comes as Procopio’s Real Estate practice maintains a Tier 1 ranking for San Diego from Best Lawyers-Best Law Firms. The practice group is structured to represent institutional investors, family offices, and operators through every stage of a project’s life cycle, from initial entitlement and development to final disposition. Attorneys at the firm are tasked with securing construction and mezzanine financing, negotiating joint ventures, and protecting client interests during high-stakes disputes. This comprehensive approach integrates transactional depth with specialized knowledge in land use, environmental law, and tax strategy.

The firm’s ability to align capital structures with business objectives is particularly relevant in the highly regulated markets of California and the broader Southwest. By combining litigation capabilities with transactional experience, Neva and her colleagues aim to anticipate risks and maintain project momentum for their clients. The repeated accolades for Neva underscore the importance of seasoned legal counsel in managing the complexities of commercial real estate equity investments and the evolving requirements of commercial landlords and tenants in a competitive economic landscape.