John Cardenas
Of Counsel
John Cardenas is Of Counsel at Aleshire & Wynder, where he provides practical, results-oriented legal advice across all aspects of municipal law. He is currently the Assistant City Attorney in Calabasas where he provides legal advice on land use, housing, and economic development matters. He brings more than two decades of senior leadership and legal experience from the U.S. Foreign Service, combining deep expertise in commercial and international law with a sophisticated understanding of public-sector governance, financial and contract compliance, and community development.
John advises public agencies on procurement, personnel and ethics matters, fiscal law, and infrastructure development and finance.He helps cities navigate housing, development review, environmental compliance, and economic growth. As Assistant City Attorney for Calabasas, he advises on zoning, density bonuses, SB 330, and CEQA. He represents public agencies in developing affordable housing and land use litigation, partnering with stakeholders to advance local policies, and community priorities.
As a Minister Counselor in the Senior Foreign Service, he designed, negotiated, and implemented complex e-governance, fintech, and public-private partnership initiatives across U.S. government portfolios in the Middle East and Latin America. Representative matters include published research on transboundary water management in Iraq, development and launch of the first Libyan environmental sustainability strategy, and management of local counsel in Peru in securing judgment in a high stakes VAT refund matter.
Prior to joining Aleshire & Wynder, John practiced law in Los Angeles at O’Melveny & Myers and Olivo & Plasencia in Downey, where he represented California public agencies in matters involving bond issuances, municipal governance, conflicts of interest, and public safety.
John’s pro bono interests reflect his commitment to sports diplomacy and the promotion of action sports as tools for community building. A proud third-generation Californian, he is fluent in Spanish. He earned his A.B., magna cum laude, from Princeton University, and his M.A. and J.D. degrees from Stanford University.