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CC 02-19-2025 Item No. 12 Appointment of an Interim City Attorney_Written Communication (2)CC 02-19-2025 Item No. 12 Appointment of an Interim City Attorney Desk Item The City of Cupertino appoints: Aleshire & Wynder, LLP as Interim City Attorney ALESHIRE & WYNDER, LLP PRACTICING AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF PUBLIC LAW Defends local government authority and enhances fiscal responsibility Results-oriented track record of advocating for California cities Wins victories that protect municipalities and other local government interests Secured substantial business tax increases while protecting small business Negotiated successful tax-sharing agreements to seed key economic development Experts in land use, CEQA and housing law—litigation and compliance MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR (SELECT ) Secured $550 million settlement for the City of Richmond to compensate the City for Chevron’s environmental impacts—one of the largest municipal settlements of its kind. Lead counsel in important Senate Bill 9 litigation, which doubled down on local control (City of Redondo Beach, et al., v. Rob Bonta, et al. (2024) Case Number 22STCP01143) and filed crucial amicus brief in U.S. Supreme Court case, City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson (2024) 144 S. Ct. 679. HYBRID MODEL AND COST CONTROL EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCCESSFUL strategies  City Attorney is accountable for results and cost-effectiveness  City Attorney works with onsite staff attorneys, alongside firm attorneys to efficiently manage most assignments  Allows con of legal work within one Firm, limiting the number of people working on a matter and provides City Attorney greater access to matter management, billing and staffing levels  Firm controls overhead costs utilizing technology to reduce costs  City Attorney Supervises attorneys and uses attorneys in their areas of specialization  Use standard forms (e.g., form contracts) CITY ATTORNEY ORGANIZATIONAL CHART Michael Woo, Staff Attorney Sr. Assistant City Attorney Floy Andrews, City Attorney Municipal Law, Real Estate, Litigation Robert Lee, Special Counsel Public Works, Contracting, Franchises John Fox, Asst. City Attorney Housing Accountability Act, Builders’ Remedy, CEQA, Land Use Vrunda Shah, Deputy City Attorney Municipal Law, Public Records Act Alison Flowers, Special Counsel Labor Negotiations, Employment Sunny Soltani, Sr. Advisor Complex Matters Full-service public law firm with outstanding specialists and cost structures at rates lower than large firms. Our 60+ attorneys are solely devoted to representing public agencies. Our Services include: •Land Use & Zoning •General Litigation •Constitutional •Service Contracts •Public Works Contracts •Brown Act •Public Records •Conflicts of Interest •Franchises •Refuse •Fees and Taxes •Risk Management •Real Estate •Labor & Employment •Economic Development •Successor Agencies/Redevelopment and Housing •Eminent Domain •Toxics and Hazardous Waste •Utilities (Energy, Waste, Sanitation) •CEQA and Endangered Species •Public Finance •Elections Law •Code Enforcement •Marijuana •Water •Education •Mobile Home Parks •Prevailing Wage Law Compliance RECENT RECOGNITION AND AWARDS Daily Journal honored Aleshire & Wynder as the “Top Boutique Law Firm” of 2024 Los Angeles Business Journal named Managing Partner Sanaz (Sunny) K. Soltani a “Woman of Influence.” Norman A. Dupont received the "Best Lawyer - Lawyer of the Year" award in Environmental Law in 2023 Equity Partner, Wayne Lemieux was honored just this year as one of “The Best Lawyers in the United States for Water Law.” Pam Lee was honored as a “Legal Visionary” by the Los Angeles Times Business Law Magazine in 2022. We are thought leaders whose work contributes to excellence in public law. Several attorneys are authors of chapters in the California Municipal Law Handbook and serve as members of the League of California Cities Municipal Law Institute Committee. Our Partner, Benjamin R. Jones, recently authored an article regarding the SB 9 lawsuit that was published in the May 2024 edition of Daily Journal. FLOY E. ANDREWS, PARTNER Assistant City Attorney, City of Richmond Previously Acting City Attorney, City of Suisun City Irvine Company, Vice President, Associate General Counsel O’Melveny & Myers, Litigation Counsel Practice Areas Ethics & Open Government Environmental Law Land Use & Zoning Housing Public Contracts Education  Loyola Law School, Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, St. Thomas More Law Honor Society, 1996  Columbia University in the City of New York, Masters of Science, 2014  Claremont McKenna College, Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, Economics and Philosophy 7 Litigation & Appellate Law First Amendment / Constitutional Law Eminent Domain / Regulatory Takings Real Estate Toxics / Hazardous Waste JOHN W. F OX , PARTNER Assistant City Attorney City of CalabasasCity of Rancho Palos Verdes Previously Lead CEQA Attorney (Development & Litigation), City of Los AngelesCity Attorney, City of ArvinLand Use Attorney, City of Fresno Practice Areas Ethics & Open Government Code Enforcement Economic Development Eminent Domain/Regulatory Takings Environmental Law Housing Land Use & Zoning Litigation & Appellate Law Public Contracts Public Construction/ Prevailing Wages Education  Loyola Law School, Juris Doctor, 1993  Wheaton College, Bachelor of Arts, 1988 8 Admissions State Bar of California US District Court, Central District of California Chair of CEQA and Land Use Practice Groups SUNNY K. SOLTANI, MANAGING PARTNER Positions City Attorney City of Carson General Counsel Carson Reclamation Authority Board Carson Successor Agency Carson Housing Authority Special Counsel City of Calabasas City of El Segundo City of Ojai City of Redondo Beach Practice Areas Public Private Partnerships/Economic Development Housing Land Use & Zoning Environmental Law Eminent Domain / Regulatory Takings Education Loyola Law School, JD, 2000, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, St Thomas More Law Honor Society University of CA, Los Angeles, BA, 1997, with great honors and distinction 9 Admissions State Bar of California United States Supreme Court US Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit US District Court, Central District of California US District Court, Eastern District of California US District Court, Northern District of California Mobile Home/Rent Control Toxics/Hazardous Waste First Amendment / Constitutional Law Public Agency Organization 10 THANK YOU!