Intro
Allison specializes in municipal law and assists public agencies with a variety of legal issues. Her work encompasses public water supply, complex long-term rate and revenue sharing agreements, Joint Power Agreements, infrastructure and project delivery analysis, public contracting, solid waste management, rate structure, Proposition 218 compliance, issuer's counsel, disclosure matters, legislative drafting and open government and ethics.
Allison has special knowledge in representing water districts, cities and private water users in implementing multi-party recycled water projects. These engagements include negotiating the effluent delivery, customer agreements, financing, design, construction and operation of the projects. She has developed special skillfulness in implementing a variety of infrastructure projects with public owners and long-term private operators. She continues to serve as special counsel to cities, special districts and private entities for all matters related to public water systems.
Allison also has significant experience with resource recovery and waste reduction projects and solid waste franchise agreements. She serves as special counsel to cities that own their own materials recovery and compositing facilities and special districts and cities that contract out for collection, composting and disposal services. She has extensive experience in advising on compliance with California's new organics recycling and food recovery law and development of related processing infrastructure.
Allison leads the firm's Government Section and is past chair of the firm's pro bono committee.
Areas of Focus
Education
Admissions and Courts
Role
Government Section Leader
Bay Area Council, Water Policy Committee
California WateReuse Association, Legislative/Regulatory Committee
California Resource Recovery Association
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights
Design-Build Institute of America
San Rafael Chamber of Commerce
Marin County Bar Association
State Bar of California
"How Mid-Law Firms Are Keeping Up With Executive Orders," Law360 Pulse (April 2025)
"Hanson Bridgett Facilitates Three New Laws Protecting Water Agencies and Customers From Higher Costs," Hanson Bridgett Press Release (October 2024)
"Hanson Bridgett Leads Legal Support for California's Transition to Zero-Emission Buses," Daily Journal (September 2024)
"Hanson Bridgett Drives Zero-Emission Transportation Innovation," Hanson Bridgett Press Release (August 2024)
Forty Under 40, North Bay Business Journal (2009)
James T. Caleshu Award, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights (2009)
"California Water Action Plan Finalized Amidst Historic Drought Conditions," co-author, Water Law Alert (February 2014)
"Changing Times in DC," co-presenter, CLE International's 2nd Annual Land Use Law Conference (June 2025)
"Wastewater Reuse for Potable Water," panelist, California Water Law Symposium (February 2025)
"How Changes in Federal Wetlands Permitting Under Sackett v. EPA Will Have a Practical Effect on Projects in California," California Land Use Law Conference (June 2024)
"Get Ready for 2024: Understanding the New Rules for Making Campaign Donations," NBLC Member Forum (January 2024)
"Let's Get Ethical: The New 1090 Gives Water Agencies more Flexibility," ACWA Fall Conference and Expo (November 2023)
"Onsite Reuse Furthers Genentech’s Sustainability Initiatives While Reducing Pressure on Public Drinking Water Supply," moderator, WateReuse Association Annual Conference (November 2023)
"Virtual Meetings and Communications," co-speaker, The Urban Water Institute Webinar (June 2020)
“Virtual Brown Act Meetings During COVID-19,” co-speaker, California Association of Sanitation Agencies Webinar (May 2020)
"Virtual Water Agency Board Meetings During COVID-19," co-presenter, Association of California Water Agencies Webinar (April 2020)
"And Not a Drop to Drink: Public Agency Options for Responding to Drought," co-speaker, Municipal Management Association of Northern California Annual Conference (October 2015)
"Protecting, Preserving and Utilizing Your Water Rights During a Water Shortage," moderator, Water Shortage Seminar (April 2014)
"Water Rate Flexibility Options under Proposition 218," Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency, Water Management Representatives (February 2014 & October 2011)
"Analysis of the San Francisco Ballot Measure to Drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir," Association of California Water Agencies, Region 5 (June 2012)
Government Ethics: AB 1234 Compliance Training (2006 - Present)
"Recent Developments in Solid Waste Law," County Council Hazardous Materials and Solid Waste Fall Study Section Conference (October 2009)
"Using Policy to Set Community Goals: Sustainability Achievements," California Resource Recovery Association (August 2008)
"Customer Agreements: Retrofit Agreements and Public Works Requirements," Alternative Water Sources for California Conference, The Seminar Group (March 2008)
"Keeping it Legal: The What's, Why's and How's of a Utility Rate and Connection Fee Ordinance," WateReuse Association Northern California Chapter (December 2007)
"Making Recycled Water Happen: Your Legal Toolbox," California Section WateReuse Conference (March 2007)
"Water Recycling Law: Customer Agreements," The Seminar Group (February 2007)
"Legal Challenges and Alternative Approaches for Potential Recycled Water," WateReuse Association Northern California Chapter (July 2006)
"The 2001-2002 California Legislative Session and Recycled Water: Incremental Progress", California Section WateReuse Conference (March 2003)