Intro
Catherine's practice focuses on government and public agency law. She serves as General Counsel to Redwood Coast Transit Authority and Deputy General Counsel to the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority, Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority, and Purissima Hills Water District. She also serves as a key team member for clients including the San Mateo County Transit District, San Mateo County Transportation Authority, and Sacramento Regional Transit District Retirement Boards. Catherine assists the firm's public agency clients with various legal issues such as public contracts and procurements, legislation, fees and rates, governance laws, ADA compliance, implementation of public grant programs, and ethics issues, including conflict of interest analyses. Catherine regularly attends client Board meetings and advises on the preparation of Board agendas, staff reports, resolutions, ordinances, and meeting minutes.
Catherine is passionate about helping her clients create tangible improvements to local communities, including building climate infrastructure. She helps clients navigate unique project delivery challenges in the public contracting arena and regularly assists clients with complex procurements and infrastructure projects, including complex technology procurements, power purchase agreements (PPAs), long term operations and maintenance agreements, and design-build and alternative project delivery agreements.
In addition, she assists clients in developing procurement policies, manuals and template solicitation documents and contracts to streamline and standardize agencies contracting processes. She also advises on compliance with local, state and federal funding requirements, including Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations.
Catherine has particular enthusiasm for, and expertise in, the evolving legal landscape of data security and privacy laws and counsels clients regarding privacy policies, end-user license agreements, website terms and conditions, data breach response, and privacy issues in technology agreements.
Catherine frequently advises and trains clients on compliance with the Brown Act, Public Records Act, and conflict of interest laws and regulations.
Areas of Focus
Education
Academic Distinction
Berkeley Ecology Law Quarterly, Articles Editor
Berkeley Law Board of Advocates Team
Certificate of Specialization in Environmental Law
Admissions and Courts
Developed all formation documents for new special district, including bylaws, procurement manual, conflict of interest code (including interfacing with the Fair Political Practices Commission), investment policy, and template agenda materials.
Counseled a county water district in developing and implementing a 5 MW multi-site solar PV project, including collaborating with staff and outside consultants to develop a procurement strategy, draft/review all procurement documents, and lead negotiations for six 25 year power purchase agreements.
Drafted and advised transit agency in preparing all legal documents and policies required to become a FTA grantee.
Counseled a municipal utility district and transit agencies on assessing and implementing agency-wide data security and privacy programs.
Advised public transit agency clients through all stages of the procurement and launch of mobile ticketing and mobility applications.
League of California Cities, Fair Political Practices Commission Committee (2020 - present)
The Bar Association of San Francisco, Cybersecurity and Privacy Law
"Navigating the Technology Landscape: Privacy, Compliance, Cloud Services, and AI," APTA 2024 Legal Affairs Seminar (February 2024)
"Let's Get Ethical: The New 1090 Gives Water Agencies more Flexibility," ACWA Fall Conference and Expo (November 2023)
"An Overview of Laws and Compliance," co-presenter, MCLE Marathon (January 2020)