General Municipal

For more than six decades, Kronick has advised diverse clients on all areas of municipal and public agency law, including governance, statutory powers, public contracts and construction, environmental laws, and regulations, land use, employment and labor, public finance, and litigation. We are one of California’s most experienced public agency practices and offer our clients years of collective expertise.

Laws and regulations impacting municipal and public agencies grow ever more complex and challenging to public officials working to implement projects and enhance their communities. In fact, several of our attorneys directly serve as both general and special counsel to public agencies throughout California. This collaborative working relationship translates into efficient, comprehensive service across all areas of public agency law. Our clients, many of them long-term, value our effectiveness and our cost-conscious and accessible approach.

Our attorneys work with cities, counties, special districts, joint powers authorities (JPAs), and local and state government agencies in all aspects of their legal powers, duties, and responsibilities. Whether a situation calls for preventative counseling, skillful negotiation, forceful advocacy, or financial guidance, the Kronick team quickly and confidently marshals the legal, political, and financial solutions needed by each individual client. We also keep our clients informed of changes and trends in the law via Legal Alerts, seminars, and workshops. Our goal is to help you move your projects and policies forward in a timely, cost-conscious manner


People

Publications

    Speaking Engagements

    04.19.2024

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    Kronick Workshop

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    AB 1234 Training

    Date

    Friday, April 19th from 11:00 am -1:00 pm

    Location

    In-person at Kronick’s Office or virtually via Zoom

    Cost

    Free for Kronick clients; $50 for non-clients (Pay Here)

    Within a year of taking office, and every two years after that, all local public officials, elected or appointed, and designated employees must complete a 2-hour ethics training, commonly called “AB 1234 Training.” This training is designed to inform, remind, and quiz you on your ethical obligations while in office (and after!). If you haven’t finished this yet, we’re here to help.

    Who: All local public officials, whether elected or appointed, who receive any type of compensation, salary, stipend, or reimbursement of expenses, as well as those employees designated by your agency to receive the training.

    What: Jeff Mitchell and Olivia Clark will lead a 2-hour, interactive, classroom-style training program over lunch (and small prizes!) that is fully compliant with AB 1234 requirements. Topics will include the following and more:

    • Responsibilities of office
    • Proper use and safeguarding of agency property and resources
    • Conflicts of interest
    • Gifts of public funds
    • Financial interest disclosures
    • Government transparency, including the Public Records Act
    • Due process requirements
    • Incompatible offices
    • Brown Act
    • Compensation and expense reimbursement

    Questions? Heather Ward (916-321-4577 or hward@kmtg.com)

    RSVP In Person

    RSVP Virtual

    04.08.2022

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    Speaking Engagement

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    PRA Case Update

    Location

    Costa Mesa, CA

    Overview

    Shareholder Mona Ebrahimi and Senior Counsel Kevin Flautt will present at the 2022 Open Meetings and Open Records Conference hosted by the Public Law Section of the California Lawyers Association. Courts have been busy over the last few years deciding cases that better define public agencies’ rights and obligations under the California Public Records Act and related laws. From limitations on the “overbroad and unduly burdensome” exception to requests to the disclosure of information about COVID-19 contact tracing, this session will provide a focused update on two years’ worth of Public Records Act case law.

    For more information and to register, please visit the event website.

    03.30.2021

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Legal Issues for Government Communicators—Copyright, Trademark and Records Retention Laws

    Date

    March 30

    Location

    Webinar

    Managing your organization’s reputation during challenging times means you not only need to ensure you are meeting the public’s need for information – but at the same time, not breaking any laws. Kronick Shareholder Christopher Onstott and Senior Counsel Kevin Flautt will lead this session and help you unravel the mystery of ever-changing federal and state laws.

    During this webinar you will learn about:

    • Copyright law and trademarks
    • Photography in public places
    • Social media, records retention
    • 1st amendment matters
    • Responding to the media on legal matters (how to avoid saying “no comment”)
    • Recent technology rulings
    • How to handle the uptick in PRA requests

    For more information and to register, please visit the event website.

    12.09.2020

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Sunshine Laws & The Golden State

    Date

    Wednesday, December 9

    Location

    Webinar

    Overview

    Olivia Clark will discuss “Sunshine Laws” which are named as they intend to bring governmental work into the light of the public. California has specific laws mandating public access to governmental records and procedures, except where an enumerated exemption applies. These laws always apply to public employees and officers, usually apply to public contractors, and are permanent tools/rights that public citizens hold.

    This presentation will be aimed at providing the historical background, primary framework, and common exemptions to the following, key Sunshine Laws:

    • Prop. 59 – The Sunshine Amendment to the California Constitution
    • The California Public Records Act (Gov. Code, § 620 et. seq.)
    • The Ralph M. Brown Act (Gov. Code, § 54950 et seq.)
    • The Political Reform Act (Prop. 9, 1974) & Government Code section 1090

    To register, please visit the event website.

    09.23.2020

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Money Matters: Understanding Financial Conflicts of Interest for Public Entities/Board Members

    Date

    Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30 • 10 am – 11 am PDT

    Location

    Virtual

    Kronick Associate Olivia Clark will participate in the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) CLE Workshop Series in a panel discussion about Government Code Section 1090, which prohibits public officials from having financial interests in contracts that they have a hand in. Sounds simple, right? But who is a public official? Sure it is someone elected or appointed to a Board. But it also can include staff members of an agency, and can even include consultants. And what is a financial interest? In many cases, it is easy to know, but in others, you might be surprised at what counts as a financial interest. Join us for this panel that will cover the black letter law, but also wrestle with a number of hypotheticals that could come to life in your world.

    For more information, please visit the event website.