Colantuono & Levin added two new general counsel clients to its northern California practice and has had a number of awards and media attention of late.  In October, the Grass Valley City Council selected Michael Colantuono as its new City Attorney.  Grass Valley is a charter city, an historic mining town on California’s scenic Highway 49, with a population of just more than 12,000.  It is the economic center of Western Nevada County, population 89,000.  Michael noted that it is a pleasure to serve what amounts to his “home town,” as Grass Valley is just 10 minutes away from our office in unincorporated Penn Valley.

In November, Calaveras LAFCo selected Michael as its new General Counsel, following the retirement of a County Counsel who had advised the Commission ably for many years.  Calaveras is, of course, home to the City of Angel’s Camp in the Sierra Foothills and memorialized by Mark Twain’s “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” retelling a tale he first heard in the Angel Hotel in 1865.  C&L now serves as general counsel for Yuba and Calaveras LAFCos; and as special counsel to Nevada, San Diego, and Yolo LAFCOs; and has represented Orange and San Bernardino LAFCos previously.

Michael was named 2011 Attorney of the Year by the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the California Special Districts Association for his advice to Goleta Water District in its recent, contested Prop. 218 process on water rates and “A Top 25 Municipal Lawyer” by the Los Angeles & San Francisco Daily Journal, the state’s leading legal newspaper.  On November 18^th, the Daily Journal featured Colantuono & Levin in its “Small Firm Focus,” describing our work for cities, counties and special districts and our public finance expertise.

A good fall season for C&L!  Our thanks to all the clients who made these successes possible!