The City Council appoints the City Attorney as its chief legal counsel.   The City Attorney is also the department head for the City Attorney’s Office, a full-service legal department.  The City Attorney’s Office serves as “corporate” legal counsel to the City as an entity and advises the City Council and City staff on contractual, regulatory and litigation matters.   These matters typically include open meeting and public records laws; conflicts of interests; land use and environmental laws; claims and litigation; municipal elections; employment and labor relations; municipal utilities; procurement and other internal services; code enforcement; and resolutions, ordinances, and other legal documents.

As the City Attorney’s Office does not provide legal advice to individuals in the City of Pleasanton, you are directed to the following resources for private legal assistance:

Alameda County Bar Referral Service for a referral to a private attorney
(510-893-7160 or www.acbanet.org/lrs_public.asp )

Alameda County Superior Court Self-Help Center (510-268-7221 or www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp/)

California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/)

Lawyer in the Library Program at the Pleasanton Library - Program offers free 20 minute legal consultations from a member of the Alameda County Bar Association. Participants must register in person (no phone reservations). For more information on dates and times, see (www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/services/library/programs-events-adult.html)

Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity (ECHO Housing) provides fair housing counseling to Pleasanton residents (925-449-7340)

State Bar of California publications (www.calbar.ca.gov)

              “Kids & the Law: An A-Z Guide for Parents”

              “When You Become 18:  A Survival Guide for Teenagers”

              “Seniors & the Law:  A Guide for Maturing Californians”

The City Attorney’s Office does not prosecute criminal activity.  For information about criminal matters, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at

(925) 803-7171.

Click here for the Pleasanton Municipal Code