Michael J. Maurer

Associate

Michael Maurer advises public agencies on their responsibilities under the Brown Act, the Public Records Act and laws relating to ethics. Mike has served as lead attorney at numerous city council meetings and other public board meetings. He is a member of the Municipal Law, Special District and Litigation practice groups in Best Best & Krieger’s Los Angeles office.

Mike’s practice focuses on public works and community development. He has assisted public agencies in planning and carrying out major grant-funded capital facilities projects, guiding clients through the bidding, contracting and construction phases, as well as litigating claims that arise during construction.

Mike has assisted public agencies on land use and real estate matters, such as zoning, property acquisition and disposition, leases, and subdivisions. He has significant experience advising agencies on the Americans with Disabilities Act, including defending lawsuits involving access to public facilities, developing policies for providing accessible services and facilities, training staff to provide reasonable accommodations to public services and facilities, and working with public works departments to bring facilities into compliance with the ADA.

Prior to joining Best Best & Krieger, Mike worked for McCormick, Kabot, Jenner & Lew in Visalia, California, where he advised cities and special districts. As general counsel to various community services districts and public utility districts in the Central Valley, he regularly assisted water and wastewater providers in the improvement of their public services. He worked with agency boards to develop effective administrative policies, successfully complete upgrades to capital facilities, and implement increases to fees and assessments.

Mike obtained his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he worked as a staff editor of the Constitutional Law Quarterly and a law clerk in the Community Economic Development Clinic. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Chapman University, where he was a member of the varsity soccer team.

Representative Matters

• Daubert v. Lindsay Unified School District (9th Cir. 2014) 760 F.3d 982. Successfully defended public agency in appeal involving ADA claim relating to school facilities.

• “Losing Bidders Can Sue When Winners Don’t Pay Prevailing Wages,” Daily Journal, March 13, 2015
• “New Law Changes Landscape for Public Projects,” Daily Journal, Jan. 30, 2015
• “Guidance Lacking for On-Street Disabled Parking,” Daily Journal, Oct. 2, 2014

Education

• University of California, Hastings, J.D., cum laude
• Chapman University, B.A., magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

• California

Court Admissions

• United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court, Eastern District of California
• United States District Court, Central District of California