Thomas P. Duarte

Partner

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tpd@jones-mayer.com Download vCard

Thomas P. Duarte is a Partner at the law offices of Jones & Mayer. Mr. Duarte has been with the firm since 1996, and specializes in municipal law. Mr. Duarte is versed in all areas of municipal law. He has served as a City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney for the past 15 years. Mr. Duarte currently serves as the Deputy City Attorney for multiple cities.

Mr. Duarte's duties include drafting and reviewing contracts and other types of transactional documents; researching and preparing legal opinions; drafting appellate briefs; analyzing, researching, and interpreting legislation; and advising boards, departments, officers, and employees on legal questions relating to their respective powers, duties, functions, and obligations. He advises councils and commissions on the Brown Act and Conflict of Interest regulations.

From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Duarte served as legal counsel for the Whittier Planning Commission. From 2000 to 2004, Mr. Duarte served as legal counsel for the Westminster Planning Commission. He served as legal counsel for the Costa Mesa Planning Commission from 2005 to 2011. Mr. Duarte served as City Attorney for the City of Blythe in 2010 and 2011, and as City Attorney for the City of Costa Mesa from 2011-2018. He also attends, on an as needed basis, City Council and other Planning Commission meetings for the cities of Fullerton, Westminster, La Habra, and Whittier. In addition, Mr. Duarte sits as counsel for the Southeast Area Social Services Funding Authority, Deputy Counsel for Gateway Cities Council of Governments, and Deputy Counsel for the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments.

Mr. Duarte serves on the Board of Directors for Abrazar in Westminster. He also is a member of the Fullerton South Rotary Club.

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Education

• J.D., Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, 1995
• B.A., California State University, Fullerton, 1991

Admissions

• California Supreme Court
• United States District Court for the Central and Northern District of California

Practice Areas

• Litigation
• Municipal Law
• Land Use
• Transactional Law

Professional Affiliations

• State Bar of California
• Orange County City Attorneys' Association
• Los Angeles County City Attorneys' Association