Joan A. Borger

Joan A. Borger

Of Counsel
jborger@adcl.com

Main: 650-593-3117
Fax: 650-453-3911

Profile

Joan Borger is Of Counsel to the firm’s public law practice. She joined the firm after many years working in-house for state and local agencies throughout California. Most recently, Joan served as City Attorney for the City of Sunnyvale. She has extensive experience drafting legislation, and advising clients on land use, zoning and planning, public works, public contracting, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), real property entitlements, open meeting laws, and local election laws.

In addition to serving as Sunnyvale’s City Attorney, Joan has served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Fremont, Deputy City Attorney for Sunnyvale, Deputy City Attorney for Hayward, Research Attorney for the 4th District and 6th District State Courts of Appeal, and Deputy County Counsel to Riverside and Ventura Counties. She engaged in appellate advocacy through the 1st and 6th District Appellate Projects providing services to indigent defendants and parents of children in the juvenile dependency system.

Current Legal Practice

Joan’s current practice focuses on all aspects of municipal law. Matters on which she provides advice include advising public officials during public meetings and administrative proceedings, responding to public records requests and open meeting law questions, interpreting charter and ordinance provisions, developing and drafting local ordinances, advising local officials regarding planning, land use, development agreements, and public contracting matters, advising local officials about conflict of interest requirements and related ethics laws, advising local officials regarding elections matters, and advising public employers regarding terminations, disciplinary processes, workplace violence and security issues, and general aspects of labor relations.

Membership & Activities

Joan is a member of the California State Bar and the United States District Court, Central and Northern District.  She is also a member of the League of California Cities, City Attorneys Department, where she has contributed to the annual update of the Municipal Law Handbook, was a speaker for a Webinar in July 2012 regarding the Skelly Process, and has contributed to the Practicing Ethics: A Handbook for Municipal Lawyers, 2d. Edition, 2014.

Education

JD, University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California

B.A., Political Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Published Cases

In re Kerry O. (1989) 210 Cal.App.3d 326

In re Jonique W. (1994) 26 Cal.App.4th 685

Gilbert v Sunnyvale (2005) 130 Cal.App.4th 1264

Practice Areas

Municipal Law

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