Meet colleagues, learn about the City Attorneys Department, share ideas about municipal law, and engage with the Cal Cities Attorney Development and Succession Committee.

Moderator: Prasanna Rasiah, President, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, San Mateo

How Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Municipal Law

Join us for an in-depth walkthrough of how certain deployed AI technologies impact local agencies in the areas of public records, labor and employment, and more.

Speakers: Mitesh Bhakta, Senior Assistant City Attorney, Mountain View | Matthew Slentz, Senior Counsel, Colantouno, Highsmith & Whatley, PC | Meghan Wharton, Senior Counsel, Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC

Moderator: Javan Rad, Second Vice President, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, San Buenaventura

Land Use and CEQA Litigation Update

Hear the latest updates on litigation related to land use and the California Environmental Quality Act.

Speaker: Stephen Velyvis, Partner, Burke, Williams & Sorensen LLP

Housing Approvals and Density Mandates

This session will outline the key permitting and CEQA streamlining provisions in AB 130/SB 131, recent updates to State Density Bonus Law, and the new SB 79 requirements, with a focus on how these laws interact and what they require of local agencies reviewing housing projects.

Speakers: Amanda Daams, Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP | Claire Lai, Senior Of Counsel, Redwood Public Law, LLP | Steve Mattas, Partner, Redwood Public Law, LLP| Alex Mog, Senior of Counsel, Redwood Public Law, LLP

Catch up with colleagues while enjoying appetizers and no-host beverages during the evening networking reception.

Please RSVP with Attorney Development and Succession Committee hosts, Shanna Renee Edwards, sedwards@brentwoodca.gov and Brian Byun, bbyun@sandiego.gov, for details. Attendees will cover their own food and beverage expenses.

Grab your breakfast off the buffet and join one of these topical group discussions (subject to change):

• Coastal Cities
• Homelessness and the Unsheltered
• Solo and Small City Attorney Offices
• Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
• Managing Ongoing Tensions between Local and Federal Governments

Moderator: Emilio Camacho, Member-At-Large, City Attorneys Department and Senior Deputy City Attorney, Sacramento

Labor and Employment Litigation Update

Hear the latest updates on litigation related to labor and employment in California.

Smile! You’re On Camera: Legal Developments and Best Practices for Public Camera Footage

Highlighting recent court decisions in Law Foundation v. Gilroy and Sacramento Television Stations v. City of Roseville, this session delves into the legal developments related to camera use by cities, including a recent lawsuit brought by the Attorney General over the sharing of automated license plate reader data. Attendees will hear best practices for the use, retention, and disclosure of data.

Speakers: Eli Flushman, Partner, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP | Donald Larkin, Partner, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP

Moderator: Eric Danly, Department Director, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, Petaluma

The Future of Impact Fees and Tiered Rates

This session explains what Sheetz v. County of El Dorado means for development fees and other regulatory programs, outlines the Mitigation Fee Act’s new mandates for fee updates, and reviews the evolving legal landscape for tiered water rates. Learn about adapting fee and rate programs to remain defensible, compliant, and financially sustainable.

Speakers: Michael Colantuono, Shareholder, Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC | Rubin Cruse, Partner, Renne Public Law Group

Moderator: Prasanna Rasiah, President, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, San Mateo

Preserving Local Control and Litigating Federal Grant Conditions

Courts are tackling novel legal questions as longstanding norms change. This session will describe lessons learned from the last year and discuss litigation between cities and the federal government, executive orders, and communication strategies. It will also include a discussion of litigation brought by cities challenging new federal grant conditions and the outlook for federal grant funding for cities

Speakers: Heather Ferbert, Member-At-Large, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, San Diego | James Ross, Partner and Head of Affirmative Litigation Practice, Renne Public Law Group

Moderator: Heather Ferbert, Member-At-Large, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, San Diego

Municipal Tort and Civil Rights Litigation Update

Hear the latest updates on litigation related to municipal torts and civil rights in California.

Speaker: John Pearson, Deputy City Attorney, San Diego

Emails to Algorithms: Public Records Challenges in the AI Era

The expansion of technology has fundamentally changed the public records landscape. This sessions examines the challenges involved in the processing public records request and explores policy solutions that minimize risk while enabling public entities to adopt new technologies that enhance everyday operations.

Speakers: Leah Castella, Partner, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP | Alexandra Mulhall, Associate, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP

The City Attorneys Department Executive Committee invite all interested attendees to join them for an open house mixer to engage with members of the City Attorneys Department committees. This is your chance to meet colleagues, ask questions about exciting opportunities within the department and get more involved while enjoying appetizers and no host beverages.

Moderator: Eric Danly, Department Director, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, Petaluma

General Municipal Litigation Update

Hear the latest updates on litigation related to general municipal topics in California.

City Under Scrutiny: Employment Matters and High-Profile Investigations

Explore the unique ethical challenges that arise when internal employment matters escalate into high-profile investigations including department leaders, elected officials, or key staff. Attendees will gain practical strategies for maintaining integrity, managing risk, and upholding public trust while providing sound legal guidance when the stakes are high and the spotlight is on.

Speakers: Kristin Allen, Attorney Investigator, Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation | Shauna Amon, Principal, Jackson Lewis P.C.

Moderator: Michael Lawson, Second Vice President, City Attorneys Department and City Attorney, Hayward

Calm in The Chaos: City Attorneys Facing Incivility

Follow the trials and tribulations of a City Attorney in the City of Pettysburg. Things were going well until city staff approved a controversial development application. When people heard a seven-story apartment complex might be built in the middle of Pettysburg’s quaint downtown, things got rough for the City Attorney. This session examines the legal, ethical, and practical challenges city attorneys face amid growing incivility in local government and offers strategies for responding to difficult attorneys, staff, council members, and members of the public while maintaining professionalism.