Each year, Jones Mayer attorneys join city leaders from across the state at the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo. This year’s conference in Anaheim gave our team valuable time for education, advocacy and connecting with the cities we serve.
We asked Partner Ryan R. Jones what the firm took away from Cal Cities 2026, and what it means for our municipal clients heading into 2027.
Why Jones Mayer attends Cal Cities every year
Municipal law changes quickly. New statutes, new case law and new state mandates arrive every year, and cities expect their counsel to know about them before they become a problem.
“There are a lot of changing laws when it comes to municipal law,” Jones said. “This is a great way to continue to get that continuing education, to be around our peers, to present and to listen. We got some really good information on a whole variety of topics that are important to us and important to our clients.”
For our clients, that means the advice you get from your Jones Mayer attorney reflects what was discussed in the sessions, in the hallways and among the practitioners who deal with these issues every day. It is the same commitment behind our city attorney services and resources like our 2025 Municipal Guide.
Three issues California cities are facing now
Jones said the conference topics were important and current. Three themes came up again and again:
- Blight and homelessness. Addressing unhoused populations remains one of the most pressing challenges for California cities, and several presenters spoke to it directly. It is also an area where code enforcement and health and safety receivership tools can help cities act.
- Affordable housing and land use. The law keeps adjusting as new case law comes out, and cities need counsel who are tracking those changes in real time. Cal Cities tracks these issues through its housing, community and economic development policy work.
- CEQA. A number of new laws affect how cities review and approve projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Our attorneys came home with updates our clients will see reflected in our advice.
What cities told us they need from their lawyers
The booth and our annual client dinner gave us time with current clients and with cities getting to know the firm for the first time. The message we heard was consistent.
“They want lawyers that are problem solvers,” Jones said. “People that can be pragmatic, that can get them to yes in a certain way.”
Cost came up just as often. City budgets are getting tighter, and every dollar spent on legal counsel is a dollar that isn’t going to public safety or infrastructure.
“They know that’s a necessary part of doing the business,” Jones said. “So we try to keep that as efficient and refined as possible so they can spend their money on things their citizens want to get done.”
Advocacy that reaches every city
Jones Mayer has been involved with Cal Cities for decades. Jones previously chaired the League’s Legal Advocacy Committee, which reviews cases with statewide impact on cities and decides where to file briefs in support of member agencies.
“Cal Cities is good as an advocacy group to advocate for local rights,” Jones said. “They’re really looking for what are laws, what are cases, what are things they can do to help municipalities, both the big ones and the small ones. Rural and urban. That’s hard to do.”
That work benefits every city in California, whether or not it ever sees the inside of a courtroom.
Investing in our team
Conferences like Cal Cities are also where our attorneys learn together. Most of the year, our team is spread out across client cities. Time in sessions, at lunch and over coffee is time spent building the relationships that make the firm work.
“Truthfully, we like each other,” Jones said. “We like working with one another, and this is a great opportunity for us to build those relationships and hopefully meet new people too.”
That same standard guides how the firm grows. Jones Mayer typically adds a few attorneys each year, and does it carefully. “We want people that are experts in the field, that know municipal law and litigation well,” Jones said. The other test is whether a new attorney can earn the trust of city clients, so those clients feel comfortable coming to them for the advice they need to carry out their policy goals. Meet our team.
Looking ahead to 2027
As Jones Mayer approaches its 50th year, the focus stays the same: sound advice, delivered efficiently. This year the firm was appointed City Attorney for Mission Viejo and expanded its Northern California presence with an appointment in Chico.
Jones said the firm expects to grow in water law, code enforcement and receiverships, and police defense litigation, an area where Jones Mayer has become a leading firm in California. In June, our attorneys helped the City of Los Angeles obtain a complete defense verdict in a closely watched officer-involved shooting case.
“We have really strong roots,” Jones said. “We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Thank you to every city that stopped by our booth or joined us for dinner. We look forward to seeing you next year.
Related resources
- Jones Mayer 2025 Municipal Guide
- Health and Safety Receiverships Can Be Powerful Enforcement Tools
- Law Enforcement Counsel
- More news and client alerts from Jones Mayer
To learn more about how Jones Mayer can support your city, contact our team or visit one of our offices in Fullerton and Citrus Heights.