Los Angeles County Counsel

Los Angeles County Counsel is the principal legal adviser to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the largest elected county body in the United States. The office provides civil legal services, litigation, transactional work, and statutory interpretation for county departments, special districts such as the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and county officers like the Sheriff of Los Angeles County, the District Attorney of Los Angeles County, and the Assessor of Los Angeles County. Established in the early 20th century, the office has influenced major public projects including transportation, public health, and land use matters across Southern California.

History

The office traces institutional roots to Progressive Era reforms in California that aimed to professionalize county administration. Early 20th-century counsel advised on issues tied to the expansion of Los Angeles County infrastructure, including litigation related to the Los Angeles Aqueduct and disputes involving the City of Los Angeles and neighboring municipalities. Through the New Deal and postwar era, the office handled matters connected to federal programs such as the Works Progress Administration and the Federal Housing Administration where county agencies participated in housing and public works. In the late 20th century, counsel navigated constitutional questions arising from cases influenced by the U.S. Supreme Court precedents like Brown v. Board of Education and Gideon v. Wainwright insofar as they affected county services. The office modernized amid litigation trends exemplified by landmark state matters such as California Environmental Quality Act challenges and regulatory actions under California Public Records Act and Brown Act compliance. High-profile 21st-century issues involved counsel roles in responses to public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic in California and litigation tied to homelessness efforts shaped by rulings like Martin v. City of Boise.

Organization and Responsibilities

The office is structured into divisions that mirror major client needs: Litigation, Transactional, Public Finance, Land Use and Environmental, Labor and Employment, and Legislative Affairs. It provides counsel to entities including the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and independent authorities such as the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. Responsibilities encompass civil defense in courts including the California Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of California, representation in federal courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Central District of California, drafting and reviewing ordinances for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, advising on compliance with statutes like the California Voting Rights Act, and negotiating intergovernmental agreements with entities such as the State of California and the City of Los Angeles. The office also handles ethics advisory roles tied to the Fair Political Practices Commission regimes and responds to investigative demands from agencies such as the California Department of Justice.

Officeholders and Notable Counsel

Notable holders and senior attorneys have included figures who later advanced to statewide or federal roles. Early counsel such as William H. Perry shaped procedural norms; later occupants moved into positions associated with the California State Bar, the California Supreme Court, and municipal leadership. Prominent alumni have become judges on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, commissioners in agencies like the California Public Utilities Commission, and counsel to entities such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The office’s chiefs have interacted with high-profile elected officials including members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors like Kathryn Barger and Hilda Solis, and county executives such as Kathryn Barger’s contemporaries. Senior deputies have been cited in reports by media outlets including the Los Angeles Times and KCET for their roles in litigation over issues like jail overcrowding and parkland acquisitions involving organizations such as the Trust for Public Land.

Notable Cases and Legal Actions

The office litigates and negotiates cases affecting public policy across Los Angeles County. It has been central to actions involving Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department policies challenged in suits influenced by precedents like Monell v. Department of Social Services of the City of New York. County Counsel defended or settled litigation relating to incarceration and civil rights claims brought in courts including the United States District Court for the Central District of California and relied on amici from groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union. Environmental and land use matters invoked the California Environmental Quality Act in disputes over projects tied to the Los Angeles World Airports, the Port of Los Angeles, and regional transit expansions like the Metro Purple Line Extension. Public health legal work included ordinances and emergency declarations during the COVID-19 pandemic, interfacing with state directives from the California Department of Public Health and federal guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The office also handled high-stakes labor negotiations and wrongful-termination suits with unions including the Service Employees International Union and litigated public records disputes under the California Public Records Act.

Relations with County Government and Other Agencies

County Counsel operates as an independent legal adviser to elected and appointed county entities while maintaining working relationships with regional, state, and federal agencies. It advises the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on ordinances, assists departments such as the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Department of Public Works in contract procurement, and negotiates cooperative agreements with entities including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Southern California Association of Governments. The office coordinates with state offices such as the California Attorney General on multijurisdictional litigation and collaborates with municipal counsel for cities like the City of Long Beach and City of Pasadena when interests overlap. Interactions with advocacy organizations, academic institutions like the University of California, Los Angeles, and nonprofits shape policy implementation for issues ranging from homelessness to regional transportation planning.

Category:Los Angeles County, California