WHAT IS THE
CITY ATTORNEY?
Did you know that you have an attorney in City Hall who could be fighting on behalf of Angelenos against the most powerful threats we face? Fighting against the Trump Administration. Fighting against ICE. Fighting against employers who steal workers’ wages. Fighting against landlords who harass their tenants. Fighting against companies that dump toxic waste in our communities and poison our water and air.
The City Attorney is one of the most significant, least understood positions in Los Angeles. It represents both our City government and the People.
As the People’s lawyer, the City Attorney can be – and should be – a powerful advocate for the public interest on behalf of Angelenos:
AS THE PEOPLE’S LAWYER, THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN BE – AND SHOULD BE – A POWERFUL ADVOCATE FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST ON BEHALF OF ANGELENOS:
STANDING UP TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION:
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The City Attorney should be fighting the Trump Administration at every turn — opposing ICE’s unconstitutional tactics, protecting the city from federal funding threats, and challenging Trump’s racist and bigoted agenda. Across the country, other City Attorneys and District Attorneys have come out swinging. They are leading the charge against Trump’s birthright citizenship order and laying the groundwork to prosecute ICE agents for kidnapping and assault. The LA City Attorney could be on
the front lines, taking the Trump administration to court and charging ICE agents for violent misdemeanors.
FIGHTING CORPORATE MISCONDUCT:
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California’s Unfair Competition Law empowers the Los Angeles City Attorney to sue any business for anything that is (1) Unlawful, (2) Unfair, or (3) Deceptive. That means the City Attorney could be fighting wage theft, tenant harassment, nursing home abuse, scam calls, and corporate pollution. This is especially important right now, as unscrupulous contractors and vendors are trying to fleece working families, vulnerable seniors, and survivors of the January wildfires.
BUILDING TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY:
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The City Attorney’s Office has jurisdiction over misdemeanors, which are generally more minor offenses. The City Attorney’s Office can use its discretion to take approaches that address the root causes of crime so that we’re breaking cycles of criminalization and reducing recidivism with social services and support that help people get their lives back on track. By taking a smart approach to public safety, the City Attorney’s Office can not only seek justice but help make all of us safer.
AS THE CITY’S LAWYER, THE CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE HAS A HAND IN ALMOST EVERYTHING THE CITY DOES:
DEFENDING THE CITY IN LAWSUITS:
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Right now, we’re in a $1 billion deficit, and one-third of that is because of huge payments to settle lawsuits. When the incumbent took office in 2023, these payouts began to spiral upwards. When litigation is mismanaged, the massive legal costs swallow up our city budget, threatening essential jobs and cutting vital services like street and sidewalk repair, sanitation, parks, and more.
GIVING THE CITY AND ITS DEPARTMENTS LEGAL ADVICE:
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The best way to protect against lawsuits is to make sure departments get into compliance in the
first place. That means giving sound legal advice, so that departments are following federal, state, and local laws, and then following through to make sure that the correct policies are in place and
carried out.
DRAFTING ORDINANCES WHEN DIRECTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
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The City Council often directs the City Attorney’s Office to draft ordinance language. That means
after all the work the public does to use their voice and advocate for the City Council to pass new measures, the City Attorney’s Office shapes what the language actually looks like. That can have enormous effects on how well the legislation actually works — or doesn’t work.