The City Attorney of San Francisco
As City Attorney of San Francisco, Dennis Herrera serves as San Francisco’s legal representative. Employing some 185 lawyers and nearly 100 support staff and investigators, his office boasts diverse and nationally-recognized expertise in every area involving local government: from access appeals to the zoo.
Herrera’s office represents the City in legal proceedings by investigating, evaluating and defending approximately 7,500 actions annually. Cases include minor property damage matters, major personal injury cases, even defending legal challenges to City laws intended to protect affordable housing, bicycle transportation planning, the City’s innovative health care program, “Healthy San Francisco,” and more.
Herrera also pursues civil actions on behalf of the City and its residents. He has successfully obtained civil injunctions against violent criminal street gangs; secured major damages awards against slumlords for violations of safety, health and building codes; and helped bring corrupt City contractors to justice for abusing the public trust. He has fearlessly stood up to powerful interests to fight unfair competition, consumer fraud, and environmental degradation. And his office has been hailed for its national leadership in fighting for marriage equality for same-sex partners and for challenging the validity of Proposition 8, the discriminatory constitutional amendment banning marriage between gay and lesbian couples.
But the office is also well regarded for its excellence in day-to-day, less noteworthy legal work – like drafting ordinances and providing advice and written legal analyses to the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, and the nearly 100 departments, boards and commissions that comprise City government. Recently, the City Attorney appointed a task force to maximize efficiency, transparency and accountability in all City contracts and investments made possible by the federal economic stimulus package.
