Tom Hallinan Partner
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Overview

Tom Hallinan brings a career’s worth of extensive municipal knowledge to the White Brenner team. Tom has represented over ten cities and special districts and currently represents the cities of Oakdale, Riverbank, and Livingston as City Attorney. He has also served as Special District General Counsel to the communities of Grayson, Crows Landing, and Empire. As such, he is experienced in providing legal advice on the Brown Act, Political Reform Act, Public Records Act, contracts and procurement, and all phases of real property development including public finance. He also prosecutes all municipal code violations.

A 20-year member of the Central Valley City Attorney’s Association, Tom is also active in the League of California Cities’ City Attorney Department, where he has served as the Department’s representative to the Annual Conference Planning Committee and on the Transportation, Communication and Public Works Committee. In addition, he assists the League’s Legal Advocacy Committee as an appointed representative of the Central Valley.

Tom is an elected member of the Yosemite Community College District Board of Trustees, where he is currently serving his fifth four-year term. He also serves on the Stanislaus-Ceres Oversight Board of the former Redevelopment Agency, and the Stanislaus County Assessment Appeals Board. Hallinan has served as a Governor’s appointee to the 38th District Agricultural Association, and on numerous local non-profit boards and commissions. In 2015, Tom was appointed to the California Law Revision Commission by Governor Brown. He has also served as an appointed member of the Gaming Policy Advisory Committee of the California Gambling Control Commission.

Prior to joining White Brenner LLP, Tom worked in the California Legislature, and for the State of California, Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Having served for two decades as both an elected official and federal, state, county and city appointee, Tom is knowledgeable of and works well with all government agencies.

If not a lawyer… if I wasn’t practicing law, I would be the 5th generation to raise cattle on the family ranch in Coulterville, Mariposa County, California.

Projects

  • As City Attorney, represents the cities of Oakdale, Riverbank, and Livingston in all municipal and legal matters
  • Represented the City of Oakdale in preparing and evaluating general and specific plan updates for development projects
  • Advises cities on Prop 218 matters and negotiates related franchise agreements
  • Represented the City of Patterson in land use and City code matters in order to expedite economic development projects, such as the Restoration Hardware distribution center

Credentials

  • J.D., Lincoln Law School of Sacramento
  • B.A., Philosophy, minor in General Business, California State University, Fresno
  • Member, Gaming Policy Advisory Committee or the California Gambling Control Commission
  • Chairperson, California Law Revision Commission
  • Governor’s Appointee, 38th District Agricultural Association
  • Board Member, Stanislaus County Assessment Appeals Board
  • Board Member, Stanislaus-Ceres Oversight Board of the former Redevelopment Agency
  • Elected Member, Yosemite Community College District Board of Trustees
  • Central Valley Representative, League of California Cities’ Legal Advocacy Committee
  • Member, Central Valley City Attorney’s Association
  • Northern California Super Lawyer
  • Top Lawyer, Sacramento Magazine