The Santa Monica City Attorney's Office (SMCAO) strives to provide the highest level of legal representation to the City of Santa Monica.  We advise the City Council, City Manager, and City staff on the legal aspects of City actions, seeking to guide the City in achieving its objectives legally, ethically, and effectively.  We also conduct litigation on behalf of the City, seeking to vigorously, ethically, and justly advance the interests of the people of Santa Monica and the State of California.  Our work has included:

• Obtaining a consent decree allowing the City to close the Santa Monica Airport in 2028;
• Recovering more than $350 million from major oil companies following contamination of the City's drinking water supply;
• Preserving $200 million in redevelopment funds following dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency;
• Drafting and defending the City's Home-Sharing Ordinance and Affordable Housing Production Program in the face of significant legal challenges;
• Recovering $10 million for victims of deceptive practices in the bullion / gold industry;
• Recovering $650,000 in back wages for low-wage immigrant workers at local car washes; and
• Establishing an innovative diversion program focused on work with homeless individuals in the criminal justice system.

Our office has been recognized as the outstanding public law office of the year by the American Bar Association and our lawyers have been honored with the California Lawyer of the Year Award.