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Introducing Lewis Brisbois’ Public Agency & Municipal Law Practice Leadership

(April 24, 2024) - Lewis Brisbois is pleased to announce the co-chairs for our Public Agency & Municipal Law Practice: Temecula Partner Kelly Alhadeff-Black, Los Angeles Partner Jessica A. Lienau, and Madison County Partner Michael P. McGinley. These talented attorneys lead a multidisciplinary practice that handles a range of litigation, counseling, and transactional representation to cities, counties, regional governments, special districts, school districts, and joint powers authorities.

Kelly's practice focuses primarily on land use, entitlement, environmental and regulatory issues for residential and commercial development projects in Southern California. Since January 2020, she has served as outside Assistant General Counsel to the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, a group of public agencies that together comprises one of the largest sanitation agencies in the United States. She also is on a team of Lewis Brisbois attorneys that has served as outside General Counsel to the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District since September 2020. In addition, Kelly is outside counsel to the City of Alameda for real estate matters and General Counsel for the San Diego Habitat Conservancy.

Jessica frequently advises clients on solid waste, wastewater, recycling, and recycled water contracts, ordinances, laws, and regulations. Jessica serves as the outside General Counsel to the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. She is also on the team of Lewis Brisbois attorneys that serve as outside General Counsel to the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District. Jessica has extensive experience representing and counseling clients in a variety of administrative proceedings, local agency formation issues, government tort claims/notices of claims, and public records requests and litigation.

Michael's roles at the firm also include serving as a co-chair for the firm’s Government Affairs & Public Policy, Asbestos Litigation, and School Districts & Municipalities Practices.

Michael is the City Attorney for Highland, Illinois, Lebanon, Illinois, Litchfield, Illinois, Wood River, Illinois and Breese, Illinois (special projects).  Michael also assists numerous Illinois municipalities defending general liability litigation and asbestos litigation. In these roles, Michael works directly with politicians, city managers and administrators, city directors, insurance adjusters, and city staff to draft and implement public policy and municipal code, facilitate business and economic development, negotiate real estate transactions, prosecute ordinance violations, assist with HR and labor and employment issues, and work directly with the public. Being part of numerous Illinois legal communities, including Madison County, St. Clair County, Montgomery County, and Clinton County, allows Michael to achieve superior results for his local government clients in sometimes contentious venues.


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