Jeffrey S. Ballinger

Partner

Jeffrey S. Ballinger is a partner with Best Best & Krieger LLP and leader of the firm's Municipal Law practice group. Mr. Ballinger’s practice areas include municipal law, planning and zoning, environmental and natural resources law. He currently serves as city attorney for the cities of San Juan Capistrano, Fontana and San Jacinto, and assistant city attorney for the City of Big Bear Lake. In addition to his city attorney work, Mr. Ballinger also serves as general counsel to the Chino Valley Independent Fire Protection District as well as the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District.

Prior to joining Best Best & Krieger, Mr. Ballinger worked at the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office in the writs and appeals department. He also worked at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, gaining daily courtroom experience. In addition, while attending law school, Mr. Ballinger served as a judicial intern for Bankruptcy Judge Mitchell Goldberg.

Since joining Best Best & Krieger, Mr. Ballinger has represented both cities and special districts in court, at public meetings and in the course of complex transactions. He frequently advises cities and other local governmental agencies on the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act and the Public Records Act. Mr. Ballinger also has expertise in housing and development-related areas of the law, including the Planning and Zoning Law, the Subdivision Map Act and state and federal housing laws. In addition, he has successfully defended land use and CEQA challenges to his public agency clients, both at the trial and appellate levels.

Mr. Ballinger received his undergraduate degree in Sociology/Law & Society from the University of California, Riverside. He received his Juris Doctorate degree at the USC School of Law. During his legal education, Mr. Ballinger also received the Order of the Coif, Trial Advocacy Awards for Best Opening Argument and Best Cross Examination, and the American Jurisprudence Award for Torts. He also participated in the Post-Conviction Justice Project and was a staff member and article editor for the  Southern California Law Review.

Mr. Ballinger is a member of the American Bar Association and the Riverside County Bar Association where he twice served as an attorney evaluator in its High School Mock Trial Competition. He also teaches courses at the University of California, Riverside. Mr. Ballinger provides pro bono legal representation to the San Bernardino Chapter of Habitat for Humanity and the Central City Lutheran Mission in San Bernardino. He has served as president and board member for the Hemet-San Jacinto Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Ballinger co-authored an article appearing in Los Angeles Lawyer magazine entitled, “When Attorneys Serve as Local Politicians” and is the co-author of the article, “Group Homes in the Neighborhood,” which appeared in the September 2006 edition of the League of California Cities Western City magazine.

Education

• University of Southern California (USC), J.D. (1999)
• University of California, Riverside, B.S. (1996)

Bar Admissions

• California (1999)

Court Admissions

• California (1999)

Awards

• Order of the Coif, Trial Advocacy Awards for Best Opening Argument and Best Cross Examination
• American Jurisprudence Award for Torts

Community Involvement

• San Bernardino Chapter of Habitat for Humanity (Pro Bono legal representation )
• Central City Lutheran Mission in San Bernardino (Pro Bono legal representation)
• Hemet-San Jacinto Economic Development Corporation (President and board member)

Memberships

• Riverside County Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Association, Member

Authorships

• Author, "When Attorneys Serve As Local Politicians", Los Angeles Lawyer magazine
• Co-author, "Group Homes In The Neighborhood", Western City magazine (September 2006)

Panels

• Post-Conviction Justice Project