William J. Priest

Of Counsel

William J. "Jim" Priest represents exclusively public agencies as of counsel in the Municipal Law practice group of Best Best & Krieger LLP. Operating out of the firm’s Ontario office, he provides both general and special counsel services to many cities and special districts.

Jim’s areas of practice include local elections, public finance, ethics, land use and public works law. He is one of the firm’s most well-versed attorneys in local elections laws, running the gamut from initiative, referendum and recall procedures, to political reform/campaign finance, to election recounts and contests. Recently, he represented the City of La Habra Heights concerning a controversial (and heavily litigated) “anti-fracking” initiative, as well as a ballot recount arising from their City Council election. He is also experienced in many types of local tax, assessment and fee/rate setting procedures under Propositions 13, 62, 218 and 26 (which often require an election or similar approval process). He is currently assisting a number of clients regarding local taxation measures, property assessments and utility rates.

Jim has extensive experience in land use, development and public works law. During his 12 years of service for the City of Covina (2003-2015), he served as general counsel to its Planning Commission and assisted the City with a variety of high-profile downtown development projects, including the Heritage Plaza Park, the Metrolink and Civic Center Parking Structures, City Ventures’ “Covina 2” and “Covina 3” projects, and the Olson Company's "Vintage Walk" and "Citrus Walk" mixed-use developments. He is now assisting the City of Azusa in developing public parking facilities for the new Metro Gold Line train stations slated to open in early 2016.  Jim also served as general counsel to the City of Gardena Planning Commission from 2006 to 2009, where he assisted that City with its first comprehensive General Plan update in 30 years. 

Jim returned to Best Best & Krieger in 2006 after spending several years with Oliver, Sandifer, Murphy and Lee in Los Angeles, where he served as assistant city attorney for the cities of Gardena and Downey. During his prior tenure with BB&K from 2000 to 2003, he served many public agencies, including the cities of Fontana and Ontario, as well as the March Joint Powers Authority. In his earliest years of practice, Jim was a member of the Illinois Bar, serving as assistant city attorney for the cities of Maroa and Forsyth, Ill.

Jim serves on the Board of Directors of the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation, the auxiliary organization supporting the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is also a member of the California Political Attorney’s Association – the only organization in the state dedicated to election law specialists. He also serves on the Technical Advisory Committee concerning utility taxation of prepaid wireless telecommunications services (AB 1717).  Jim regularly writes and lectures on municipal legal issues, including local taxation and finance, elections and public noticing guidelines. Jim also serves on the Board of Directors of “Open Doors Now,” a nonprofit educational and support group for individuals and families dealing with high functioning autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

Jim received his law degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where he served as lead editor of the Journal of Legal Medicine and captain of the August A. Rendigs Products Liability Moot Court team. He graduated cum laude from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in social psychology. He is a native of the San Fernando Valley. Jim and wife, Mara, have been married for 15 years and have two children, Lauren and Jimmy.

Education

• Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), J.D.
• University of California, Los Angeles, B.A.

Bar Admissions

• California
• Illinois