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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: APRIL 2, 2012 TITLE: AGREEMENT WITH BEST, BEST AND KRIEGER ~f sj j -f~'Q~ITY MANAGER '*r RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: APPROVED ^ As Recommended ^ As Amended ^ Ordinance on 15t Reading ^ Ordinance on 2"d Reading ^ Implementing Resolution ^ Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Direct and authorize the City Manager and the Clerk of the Council to execute an agreement with the law firm of Best, Best and Krieger designating Sonia R. Carvalho as City Attorney for the City of Santa Ana. DISCUSSION The City Charter Section 701 authorizes the City Council to appoint a City Attorney. The City Attorney is the legal advisor for the Council. He or she provides general legal advice on all aspects of City business and represents the City in legal actions. The City Attorney position has been vacant since 2010, though the duties have been performed on an interim basis by an acting City Attorney. Following a recruitment and thorough analysis of the most effective method of providing executive legal services to the City, it is recommended that the City contract with the firm of Best, Best and Krieger (BB&K) to appoint Sonia Carvalho as the City Attorney. BB&K is afull-service law firm with more than 200 attorneys in eight offices across California and an office in Washington, D.C. Sonia R. Carvalho is a partner in the Municipal & Redevelopment Law practice group of BB&K. She has held the positions of City Attorney for the City of Azusa and the City of Claremont, City of Colton and the City of Yorba Linda. Ms. Carvalho is also the Co-chair of the firm's Public Policy and Ethics sub-practice group. Ms. Carvalho attended the University of California at Irvine and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude. She received her J.D. from UCLA School of Law. Ms. Carvalho was admitted to the California Bar in 1992. 25H-1