Government Law & Litigation

Allowing Local Governments to Act with Confidence

Our government law practice model emphasizes providing accurate and timely advice that takes into account the practical realities faced by local government decision-makers and administrators. Our aim is to provide local officials with the confidence that they are making decisions and conducting their business in a manner that complies with all federal and state laws so that they may focus on the critical policy issues they are charged with addressing.

Expertise based on Governmental Experience

Our lawyers have extensive experience advising local officials on a broad range of government law issues. Our firm includes an attorney who served as the elected San Francisco City Attorney, and who was responsible for advising elected and appointed officials on matters ranging from resolving complex constitutional issues, to drafting and interpreting city charter provisions and ordinances, to government sunshine laws governing public meetings and public records. In addition to a current Appointed City Attorney and Chief Deputy City Attorney, our firm also includes a former Chief Deputy City Attorney and the former Chief of the Government Litigation section of a City Attorney’s office.

The types of matters on which we advise and represent local election officials include:

• Drafting charter amendments and ordinances
• Resolution of complex and sensitive constitutional issues, including First Amendment issues
• Advising public agencies on sunshine legislation and other laws governing the local government decision-making and operations.

Ethics Advice & Training

Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai attorneys also have extensive experience in guiding public officials through the labyrinth of ethics laws that govern their conduct. We offer ethics advice and training programs for public officials and employees, including Political Reform Act provisions on conflicts of interest and restrictions on gifts and other perquisites to public officials.

Defending Local Governments

Our firm’s attorneys have represented local agencies and officials in federal and state court challenges to their decisions and policies. We have successfully defended local governments against constitutional challenges to a wide range of ordinances and policies, as well as challenges to decisions by administrative agencies. In addition, we have defeated claims alleging violations of the state’s open meetings and public records laws. Our approach is to zealously defend the ability of public officials to make the difficult decisions they are charged with making and to seek early termination of such challenges, so that policies in the public interest may be fully implemented at the earliest possible time.