As a member of the firm’s Public Law Practice Group, Jennifer (Jen) Faught advises cities, special districts and other public entities on the myriad legal issues they confront daily. While providing general and special counsel to public agencies, Ms. Faught has garnered notable experience in state and federal Constitutional Law, the adoption and collection of fees, contract law, conflicts of interest, and land use issues. Ms. Faught deals extensively with the Political Reform Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act and the Public Records Act.

Ms. Faught devised a set of guidelines by which cities, concerned over the clutter and safety issues presented when vendors leave flyers or business cards at individual residences without the owners’ permission, may regulate such distribution without running afoul of First Amendment free speech protections. In another First Amendment setting, Ms. Faught crafted and updated ordinances regulating the number and siting of newsracks.

She has also advised clients with respect to questions arising under the equal protection clause, including the provision of local social service benefits to non-citizens and requirements by cities that people who appeal matters before the city council make use of and pay for mediation services.

In her work with special district clients, Ms. Faught has drafted sewer lateral, sewer service charge and solid waste ordinances. She has assisted in analyzing a variety of other routine matters, such as establishment of appropriations limits, creation of reimbursement districts, payment of prevailing wages, collection of unpaid or underpaid service charges, and issues involving the interpretation and implementation of risk sharing agreements of joint powers authorities. Many tax matters in which Ms. Faught renders advice involve voter-enacted constraints on local taxation in Propositions 13, 218 and others. Her work also involves advising on land use issues, including those arising under the Subdivision Map Act and the law of easements.

Ms. Faught is a frequent presenter at AB 1234 ethics trainings.

Education

University of California Hastings College of the Law, JD, 2006
University of California Los Angeles , BA English, magna cum laude, 1994

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Title: Associate
Location: Oakland
Phone: 510.808.2000
Email: jfaught@meyersnave.com
Vcard: Jennifer Faught