Maribel S. Medina

Overview

Maribel Medina chairs the firm’s Education Law Practice Group. She is General Counsel of the Fontana Unified School District and the El Rancho Unified School District and also previously served as City Attorney to the City of San Fernando. The areas of law that she specifically works on include public contracts, real estate, environmental law, governance and compliance, and labor issues.

Prior to joining Meyers Nave, she served as General Counsel to the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD)—the highest performing largest urban school district in California. In this role, Maribel consistently planned, organized, oversaw, and provided professional legal counsel and representation on all District matters as chief legal counsel.

Maribel also served as Special Counsel to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education—the second largest school district in the country. As lead legal advisor to the Board, she counseled on issues ranging from education, real estate, environmental and construction to labor and budgeting issues.

Maribel was the Assistant City Attorney for Pasadena where she specialized in land use and environmental law. She was responsible for numerous complex projects, including a proposed residential development, which if approved would have been one of the two largest projects in Los Angeles County. She was also the legal advisor to the City in its negotiations with National Football League in attempt to bring an NFL team to Pasadena.

While an associate for a Southern California law firm, Maribel advised public agencies on municipal law matters, including meeting procedures under Brown Act, conflict of interests, land use, eminent domain, redevelopment and general environmental law matters. She served as special counsel to the Proposition 10 Commission for Los Angeles County; deputy city attorney for the cities of San Fernando, Norwalk and Westlake Village; deputy general counsel for the Los Angeles to Pasadena Blue Line Construction Authority; and deputy redevelopment counsel for Norwalk and San Fernando Redevelopment Agencies.

Maribel serves on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities and is a member of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS). She is the past President of the Mexican-American Bar Association—one of the largest Latino bar associations in the country, as well as  the Statewide La Raza Lawyers Association. In addition, she served as General Counsel to the Hispanic National Bar Association. Also, Maribel is on the Board of HONOR PAC. 

The Daily Journal has recognized Maribel as a “Top 20 Under 40” attorney in California. She has also been selected as one of Southern California’s Super Lawyers, the “Latina Lawyer of the Year” from the Hispanic National Bar Association and the “Benito Juarez Lawyer of the Year” from the Mexican American Bar Association.

Honors and Awards

  • "Top 20 Under 40" attorneys in California, The Daily Journal, 2004
  • "Southern California Super Lawyer," The Daily Journal, 2005
  • “Latina Lawyer of the Year,” Hispanic National Bar Association, 2004
  • “Benito Juarez Lawyer of the Year,” Mexican American Bar Association, 2006

Presentations and Publications

  • Speaker, “Avoiding the Accidental Meeting,” California Public Records & Open Meetings Conference, 2013
  • Speaker, “Controlling Closed Sessions,” California Public Records & Open Meetings Conference, 2013
  • Speaker, “How do I Get Started?” National Association of Latino Elected Officials, Institute for Newly Elected Officials, 2012
  • Speaker, “Social Media and School Employees,” California Council of School Attorneys and the County Counsel’s Association, Annual Conference, 2012

Professional and Community Affiliations

  • Member, The State Bar of California
  • Member, New York Bar
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association Commission on Hispanic Rights and Responsibilities
  • Member, California Council of School Attorneys
  • Member, League of California Cities, Brown Act Committee
  • President-Elect, San Francisco La Raza Bar Association
  • Board Member, Honor PAC
  • Former General Counsel, Hispanic National Bar Association (2005-2006)
  • Former President, California Statewide La Raza Lawyers (2005-2006)
  • Former President, Latina Lawyers PAC (2004-2005)
  • Former President, Mexican American Bar Association (2003-2004)
  • Former Commissioner, State Police Commission (2003-2004)
  • Former President, Latino Lawyers Association (1998-1999)

Education

  • University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, JD, 1995
  • Harvard University, MA, Public Administration, 1994
  • University of California at Berkeley, BA, Sociology and Chicano Studies, 1991