Practice Areas
Attorney Spotlight
- Meyers Nave Announces New Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Co-Chairs
- The California Employer’s Guide to New 2023 Laws
- Meyers Nave Expands Labor and Employment Practice with Arrival of Neha Shah
- Meyers Nave Northern California Attorneys Receive 2022 “Super Lawyers” and “Rising Stars” Recognition
- AB 361 Allows Local Agency Legislative Bodies to Continue to Meet Virtually After September 30
- Meyers Nave Northern California Attorneys Receive 2021 “Super Lawyers” and “Rising Stars” Recognition
- Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Meyers Nave Takes On Another Leading Role
- Meyers Nave Proudly Endorses Proposition 16 – First Law Firm to Announce Its Support
- CPRA Update: Supreme Court Rules Public Agencies Cannot Charge for Redacting Electronic Public Records
- Newsom Issues Three COVID-19 Brown Act Orders: Here’s What He Urgently Changed
Eric S. Casher
Overview
Eric assists public entities, private companies, public-private partnerships, and nonprofit organizations as a strategic advisor and legal counsel. For more than 15 years, he specializes in helping clients achieve their strategic goals and objectives by efficiently and effectively navigating the complex regulatory requirements imposed by local, state and federal agencies with an emphasis on strategic advice for public-private partnerships and multi-agency public projects. Eric has extensive experience with the unique procedures, processes and requirements of government agencies at all levels, and their implementing regulations. He is a government relations and regulatory law expert with a litigation background that allows him to offer clients unique insights on risk management.
Eric combines substantive legal analysis with sophisticated, practical and first-hand experience across the governmental, legislative and regulatory arena. He has a deep understanding of the intricacies of the decision-making processes and frequently appears before and works with elected leaders, senior staff, legislative committees, regulators, agencies, boards and commissions at many levels of government. Eric also assists clients in working with advocacy groups and citizens to convey his clients’ general community affairs goals as well as achieve project specific objectives.
Eric has unique experience and expertise dealing with the challenges that government agencies, cities, counties and special districts face as they implement their mandates and missions. He is is the past Chair of the Municipal and Special District Law Practice Group, having oversaw the work of Meyers Nave attorneys who serve as City Attorney for municipalities of all sizes and General Counsel for Special Districts of all types throughout California. Eric currently serves as City Attorney for the City of Pinole, a city of 19,000 residents in the San Francisco Bay Area, and General Counsel of the East Bay Dischargers Authority, a joint powers agency consisting of five local agencies that manages wastewater treatment and disposal for a population of 900,000.
Eric represents clients in a wide array of matters relating to housing, transportation, renewable energy, construction, healthcare, entertainment, sports, telecommunications, recycling/solid waste, higher education, technology, and economic development. He advises clients on all legal matters affecting governance, decision-making, daily operations and long-term policy implementation. Eric has extensive experience drafting complex ordinances, local regulations, policies and procedures, and represents private and public clients in monitoring and providing input on city, state and federal legislation and regulations. He advises developers planning and completing economic development projects, including public infrastructure investments that benefit a development project; counsels on compliance with local, state and federal laws; and advises on election law, campaign finance and ethics. Eric’s private client experience ranges from the San Francisco Giants to Pakpour Consulting Group (civil engineering design and construction management), Electriq Power Limited (home power storage), Creative Masonry, Inc. (residential masonry construction) and Harvest Power (converts food waste and yard waste into biofuel, compost, mulch and fertilizer).
Eric’s unique first-hand governmental and regulatory experience also includes being appointed by then Attorney General Kamala Harris to serve a four-year term as Commissioner on the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), which enforces political campaign, lobbying and conflict of interest laws. Eric’s FPPC experience contributes to the expertise he provides to clients in matters relating to governance, statutory powers, Ralph M. Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act and other conflict of interest laws. Eric was also recently appointed an Ex-Officio Committee member of the League of California Cities’ FPPC Committee and served as the East Bay Division Representative for the League of California Cities’ Legal Advocacy Committee.
Eric has specialty expertise in public contracting and advises clients at all stages of project development and implementation, from the drafting of front-end bid specifications and the handling of bid protests to complex litigation of construction disputes, breach of contract claims, and bid protests. He has extensive experience drafting contracts for owners for the procurement of construction services, equipment, and professional and consulting services, such as engineering, design and architect. He has also prepared baseline construction contract documents for design-bid-build, design-build, and construction management-at-risk arrangements, as well as various pricing models for construction contracts. Eric’s experience includes representing public and private clients on public contract procurement issues and he has litigated disputes involving complex indemnity issues, construction project delay claims, stop notice claims, prevailing wage disputes, and ADA matters. He successfully represented a municipality in a published California Court of Appeals decision that remains a leading case in California public contract law as it affirms the discretion of a City to waive an error in a bid for a public works project.
Eric’s leadership experience at Meyers Nave included serving as the past Chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee. He is also an active member of the community for which he received an “Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service” award from the Bar Association of San Francisco. Eric currently serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the California Minority Counsel Program and recently completed terms as President of California ChangeLawyers and the Charles Houston Bar Association. In 2021, he was appointed to the League of California Cities’ newly formed Advancing Equity Advisory Committee charged with identifying how cities and towns can recognize and eliminate biases and disparities, heal racial divisions, and build more equitable communities. Eric is the only City Attorney appointed to the Committee that is comprised of mostly elected Mayors, City Councilmembers and City Managers. In 2019, UC Hastings College of the Law recognized Eric in its “Gamechanger” alumni profile series. The Black Law Students Association of the University of California Hastings College of the Law has also honored Eric with a Distinguished Alumni Award and an Alumni of the Year Award. He also received the “President’s Award” from the Charles Houston Bar Association and “Unity Award” from the Minority Bar Coalition.
Representative Experience
- City Attorney, City of Pinole (2017-Present)
- General Counsel, East Bay Dischargers Authority (2016-Present)
- Advise Alameda Health System on all contracting matters, including developing the organization’s entire contracting system – from reviewing and creating all forms of construction and professional services agreements to creating policies and procedures related to project procurement and delivery
- Advise San Francisco Giants on contracting and procurement matters, including developing, reviewing and negotiating agreements for general contractor and other construction related professional services
- Advise private company Harvest Power on Public Contract Code and local contract procurement requirements related to construction of digester to convert green waste to compressed natural gas
- Advise the University of California on general matters related to conflicts of interest involving the Political Reform Act
- Prepare design-build construction contract and advise on issues related to federal funding for the City of Modesto’s North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program ($41,000,000 project budget)
- Bay Cities Paving & Grading, Inc. v. City of San Leandro, Successfully defended City from bid protest and successfully litigated writ petition before the Superior Court, and appeal to the California Court of Appeals resulting in published Court of Appeals opinion
- Advise Alameda County and Alameda County Redevelopment Agency regarding design-build construction of the Ashland Youth Center ($14,000,000 project budget)
- City of Dublin v. AA Label. Prosecuted the City’s claim for injunctive relief to enforce Municipal Code requirements related to construction of an illegal structure
- KZC Construction, Inc. v. City of La Puente, et al. Negotiated a very favorable settlement for the City on a dispute involving defective construction of a sewer improvement project
Honors and Awards
- Northern California Super Lawyers list: Government Relations, State, Local & Municipal Law, Government Contracts and Construction Litigation, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2019-2022
- “Gamechanger,” UC Hastings College of the Law alumni profiles, April 2019
- Unity Award, Minority Bar Coalition, 2016
- Northern California Rising Stars list: State, Local & Municipal Law, Government Contracts and Construction Litigation, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2012-2018
- Distinguished Alumni Award, UC Hastings College of the Law – Black Law Students Association, 2015
- President’s Award, Charles Houston Bar Association, 2014
- “Hot List,” Lawyers of Color, 2014
- “Nation’s Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40,” National Bar Association, 2011
- “2010-2011 Alumni of the Year,” UC Hastings College of the Law – Black Law Students Association
- “Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service Award,” Bar Association of San Francisco, 2010
Presentations and Publications
- Presenter, “Public Law Careers Panel,” California Lawyers Association, November 17, 2021
- Presenter, “Report on the Cal Cities Advancing Equity Advisory Committee,” League of California Cities’ Annual Conference and Expo, September 24, 2021
- Presenter, “Converging Emergencies: Policing Panel,” League of California Cities’ Municipal Law Institute Symposium, March 5, 2021
- Quoted, “Diversity in U.S. Law Firms: ‘It’s Always Going to Be Incremental’,” AttorneyatWork.com, March 2, 2021
- Presenter, “Reforming Fundamental Policies for a Brighter Golden State: Exploring Innovative Solutions to Long-Lasting Challenges Impacting Black Communities in California,” CBE Week ’21 – Thrive Together, Coalition of Black Excellence, February 25, 2021
- Guest Lecturer, “Making Mistakes: Mindsets and Growth,” University of California, Hastings College of the Law, February 8, 2021
- Presenter, “Proposition 16 and Affirmative Action,” Racial Equity Webinar Series, Alameda County Bar Association, September 14, 2020
- Author, “Public Records Act Update: Public Agencies Cannot Charge for Redacting Electronic Public Records,” North County Lawyer, August 2020
- Author, “CPRA Update: Supreme Court Rules Public Agencies Cannot Charge for Redacting Electronic Public Records,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, June 2, 2020
- Presenter, “Newsom Issues Three COVID-19 Brown Act Orders: Here’s What He Urgently Changed,” Meyers Nave webinar, March 2020
- Author, “Newsom Issues Three COVID-19 Brown Act Orders: Here’s What He Urgently Changed,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, March 26, 2020
- Presenter, “Public Contracting Requirements: Emergency Preparedness and Federal and State Reimbursement,” League of California Cities Public Works Officers Institute, 2020 (cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic)
- Author, “Conflict of Interest Law Update: FPPC Fines School Director $12K and Sends Case to DA’s Office,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, August 2019
- Presenter, Diversity Networking Mixer, hosted by Contra Costa County Bar Association Diversity Committee, 2019
- Interview, “Gamechanger: Maximum Impact at the Forefront for Eric Casher,” UC Hastings College of the Law alumni profiles, April 2019
- Presenter, “Conflicts of Interest – 1090 Liability and New Materiality Standard for Financial Interests in Real Property,” County Counsels’ Association Land Use Conference, 2019
- Author, “Public Contracting Update: How to Spot Conflicts of Interest with Independent Contractors and Avoid Violating Government Code 1090,” California Special Districts Magazine, November/December 2018
- Podcast, “Swim, Bike, Run, Repeat,” iMatterNow’s Attorney Heart podcast series #061 on wellness and well-being in the legal profession, 2018
- Presenter, “Legal Update for Public Works Professionals,” 22nd Annual American Public Works Association (APWA) Conference, 2018
- Opening Remarks, “Championing Civil Rights: The Role of Social Media, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things,” National Bar Association Wiley Branton Symposium, 2018
- Presenter, “The Past, Present and Future of Civil Rights in the United States,” Bar Association of San Francisco’s Annual Citywide Diversity and Inclusion Program, 2018
- Presenter, Minority Bar Coalition panel discussion, UC Hastings College of the Law, Legal Education Opportunity Program orientation, 2018
- Presenter, “AB 626: What It Means and How to Comply,” East Bay Municipal Engineers, 2018
- Presenter, “AB 626: New Compliance Requirements for Public Agencies,” League of California Cities Public Works Officers Institute, 2018
- Presenter, “AB 626: What It Means and How to Comply,” 21st Annual American Public Works Association (APWA) Conference, 2017
- Presenter, “Networking 201: Beyond the Pitches and Intro,” California Minority Counsel Program Annual Conference, 2017
- Author, “New Law Subjects Public Agencies to Penalties Relating to Prevailing Wage Projects,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2017
- Presenter, “AB 626: Impact on Public Works Projects and New Compliance Requirements,” County Counsel Association Public Works and Contracts Conference, 2017
- Presenter, “AB 626: What It Means for Public Works Projects and What Public Agencies Need to Do to Comply,” Meyers Nave webinar, 2017
- Presenter, “Legalized Recreational Marijuana: Local vs. State Regulation and the Trump Administration’s Potential Impact,” Meyers Nave webinar, 2017
- Author, “New Law Requires New Claim Resolution Process for Public Works Projects,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2016
- Presenter, “Prevailing Wage Briefing: Fundamentals and Practical Project Tips,” 20th Annual American Public Works Association (APWA) Conference, 2016
- Presenter, “Required Ethics AB 1234 Compliance Training, Parts I and II,” California Special Districts Association (CSDA) 46th Annual Conference, 2015
- Presenter, “Public Contracts Overview and Update On Recent Legislation,” 19th Annual American Public Works Association Conference, 2015
- Presenter, “Law Firms and Diversity,” Oakland Centro Legal de la Raza: Diversity Legal Pipeline Program, 2015
- Presenter, “SB 854: Contractor Registration Requirements for Public Works,” Meyers Nave webinar, 2015
- Author, “New Legislation Revamps Design Build Procurement Requirements For All Public Projects Throughout The State,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2014
- Author, “Court of Appeal Affirms the Discretion of a City in Waiving an Error in a Bid for a Public Works Project,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2014
- Presenter, “I’m A Lawyer, I Don’t Need a Brand, Or Do I,” California Minority Counsel Program 25th Anniversary Conference, 2014
- Presenter, “Pleadings and Dispositive Motions,” Charles Houston Bar Association, MCLE Series, 2014
- Presenter, “Bid Protests and the Impact of Recent Legislation,” 18th Annual APWA Conference, 2014
- Author, “Local Agencies Now Required to Provide Electronic Copies of Project Documents to Contractor Plan Rooms,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2011
- Presenter, “Navigating Your Way Through Bid Protests,” CSDA Annual Conference, 2013
- Presenter, “Protests and the Impact of Legislation,” APWA Annual Conference, 2012
- Keynote Presenter, UC Hastings College of the Law – Black Law Students Association Graduation, 2011
- Author, “We Are All Going Green! A New Green Contract Addendum is Released,” Kluwer Law International – Construction Law Blog, 2010
- Author, “Bad Faith Settlement Claims by Contractors Against Two Sureties Illustrate When Conduct May Be Improper,” ConstructionWebLinks Industry Reports Newsletter, 2010
- Presenter, “Lessons Learned From the Obama Campaign and Grassroots Constituency Group Organizing,” U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program (Sweden), U.S. Department of State, 2010
- Presenter, “Grassroots Political Organizing and the Obama Campaign,” U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program (Digital Video Conference, Suriname), U.S. Department of State, 2010
- Presenter, “African American Political Progress and the Importance of Youth Participation in Electoral Politics,” U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program (Namibia and Zambia), U.S. Department of State, 2009
- Author, “Contractual Agreement to Submit Construction Disputes to Referee is Enforceable, California Court Holds,” ConstructionWebLinks Industry Reports Newsletter, 2008
Affiliations
- Board Co-Chair, California Minority Counsel Program, 2022
- Presidential Appointment, Advancing Equity Advisory Committee, League of California Cities, 2021
- Board of Directors and Executive Committee, California Minority Counsel Program, 2021
- President, ChangeLawyers formerly the California Bar Foundation, 2019-2020; President-Elect, 2018; Vice President, 2016-2017; Scholarship Committee Chair, 2015; Nominations Committee Chair, 2013
- East Bay Division Representative, Legal Advocacy Committee, City Attorneys’ Department, League of California Cities, 2018-2020
- Chair, Diversity Committee, Meyers Nave, 2018-2021; Co-Chair, 2017
- President, Charles Houston Bar Association, 2017-2018; Vice President, 2014, 2016, 2017; Senior Advisor to the President, 2015; General Counsel, 2013
- Co-sponsor, Bar Association of San Francisco’s African American Partners and Associates Summer Reception, 2018
- Board Member, California Association of Black Lawyers, 2014-2016; Life Member
- Member, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights (ongoing)
- Member, Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (ongoing)
- Member, American Bar Association (ongoing)
- Member, The State Bar of California (ongoing)
- Commissioner, California Fair Political Practices Commission, 2013-2017
- Ex-Officio Committee member, League of California Cities’ Fair Political Practices Commission Committee, 2017-current
- Member and Vice Chair, Bar Association of San Francisco – Construction Barrister’s Group, 2009-2011
Education
- University of California, Hastings College of the LawJD, 2006
- University of California at BerkeleyBA, Sociology, 2000