Rebecca Andrews

Associate

Rebecca Andrews helps public agencies solve water quality challenges arising under the Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. As an attorney in Best Best & Krieger LLP’s Municipal Law practice group, Rebecca also provides general counsel services to public agencies, and has particular experience in governance, land use, contracting, ethics, elections and open meetings.

Water Quality
Rebecca helps municipalities and special districts obtain and comply with water quality permits through the State Water Resources Control Board and the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards, including Phase I and Phase II stormwater permits, the General Construction Permit, and the General Industrial Permit. She has negotiated discharge permits and enforcement actions on behalf of public agencies and assisted agencies in establishing water quality programs in compliance with state and federal water quality standards. She also provides administrative and courtroom litigation services in water quality and land use challenges and in enforcement actions.

General Counsel
Rebecca’s water quality practice is informed by an understanding and appreciation of the complex demands on public agency resources. Rebecca is the assistant city attorney for the City of Santee and serves as assistant general counsel for Civic San Diego. Her general counsel work includes advising municipalities and special districts on open and transparent governance, ethics, land use, contracting, elections and water quality matters.

Memberships
Rebecca is active in the League of California Cities, the City Attorneys Association of San Diego and the California Stormwater Quality Association. She participates in two Phase II MS4 committees through CASQA that focus on addressing water quality compliance issues for traditional and nontraditional MS4s. Rebecca also serves on the League of California Cities’ Public Records Act Committee, and participated in drafting The People’s Business and the CEB guidance on the Public Records Act.

Education
Rebecca received her law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of San Diego, where she was a member of the San Diego Law Review, a teaching assistant for property classes and a member of the appellate litigation team. Upon graduation, she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and received a pro bono service award for her volunteer work during law school. Rebecca graduated first in her class from Emory University with a Master of Divinity. She earned two fellowships to study at the Universität Göttingen in Germany while working on her master's degree. She received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Seattle Pacific University

• University of San Diego, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif
• Emory University, M.Div., summa cum laude
• Seattle Pacific University, B.A., magna cum laude

Publications and Presentations

• “California Must Pay for Stormwater Mandates,” Daily Journal, Sept. 2, 2016
• "Regulatory Takings and Constitutional Principles of Land Use and Planning," American Planning Association, AICP Exam Preparation (2015)
• "Staying in Compliance: Understanding Fundamental Special Districts Laws," California Special Districts Association (2014)
• "Funding NPDES MS4 Permit Requirements to ‘The Maximum Extent Practicable’," 22 California Water Law and Policy Reporter 35 (2011)

Bar Admissions

• California
• Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California