Press Releases

Carlos Campos Will Serve as City Attorney; Marco Martinez as Assistant City Attorney

The Coachella City Council announced last week that it has selected the law firm of Best Best & Krieger LLP (BB&K) to serve as city attorney, effective March 15, 2007.  Carlos L. Campos, an attorney with the firm’s Indian Wells office and a Coachella Valley native, will act as city attorney.  Marco A. Martinez, a partner in the firm’s Irvine and Riverside offices, will act as assistant city attorney.

Recently, the Coachella City Council directed staff to solicit proposals to provide city attorney services to the City and the Redevelopment Agency.  A request for proposals was sent to local and interested law firms, and staff received approximately twelve responses.  Staff evaluated the proposals and subsequently invited six of the law firms to interview with the City Council and staff.

At the conclusion of the interviews and after evaluating the merits of each law firm, it was the consensus of the City Council and the Committee-at-Large made up of City staff members that Best Best & Krieger LLP best fit the needs of the City of Coachella.  According to City Manager, Jerry Santillan, “In BB&K we get the counsel of a highly respected, full-service law firm that serves a very large number of cities throughout the state of California.  The firm, represented by Coachella native Carlos Campos, has expertise in every conceivable aspect of municipal operations and public law, including special counsel skills that will be much needed as we continue our rapid growth pattern. At the same time, we will save close to $20,000 in monthly retainer fees compared to the fees of the prior city attorney that can be put to use in serving our residents and businesses.”

With the addition of Coachella, BB&K now serves as city attorney to more California cities than any other law firm in the state.¹  BB&K represents 30 cities throughout the state as contract city attorney.  In addition, the firm’s 110 municipal attorneys practice from eight California offices -- more statewide offices than any other California municipal law firm.

“This is a new milestone in Best Best & Krieger’s long history as a public law firm,” says John Brown, chair of the firm’s municipal and redevelopment law practice group.  “Our law firm now serves as general and special counsel to more cities - large and small - throughout the state than any competing municipal law firm.”

Campos’ practice focuses primarily on local government law.  He serves as the assistant city attorney for Needles and deputy city attorney for Palm Desert and Indian Wells.  Campos’ clients also include special districts such as the Salton Community Services District and College of the Desert. 

Campos was born and raised in and around the City of Coachella.  He attended middle school in the City and graduated (third in his class) from Coachella Valley High School.  He is a member of the State Bar of California, the Desert Bar Association and the Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association.  Campos is also a member of the board of directors of the Coachella Chamber of Commerce and the Dr. Carreon Foundation.  He is a former board member of the Coachella Valley Mexican American Chamber of Commerce and a former chair of the Coachella Valley City Attorney Association.  Campos earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.  He graduated with honors from Pitzer College with a double major in Political and Labor Studies.

Martinez is a partner in the firm’s municipal and redevelopment law practice group.  He currently serves as assistant city attorney for Colton, Azusa and Ontario.  He previously served as city attorney for Montebello and is currently general counsel to the California Chapter of the American Planning Association. 

Martinez is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the American Planning Association, and the Riverside and Orange County Bar Associations.  He received his Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning from California State Polytechnic University Pomona.  Prior to joining BB&K, Martinez was a planner with the City of Downey and the County of Los Angeles, Department of Regional Planning.

¹ League of California Cities City Attorney Roster, www.cacities.org, February 2007