Pam picture

Pam Lee

Equity Partner

Orange County

t: (949) 223-1170

d: (949) 250-5415

e: plee@awattorneys.com

VCard

Bio

Pam Lee is a partner with the firm and handles a wide variety of public agency law, land use and planning, affordable housing, and labor and employment matters.  As housing counsel, Ms. Lee has negotiated several market-rate and affordable housing projects on behalf of public agencies and has advised her clients on SB 330, SB 9, and SB 35 projects.  Ms. Lee also specializes in labor and employment and routinely provides counsel on employee discipline, leave and accommodation issues (under CFRA, FEHA, ADA, FMLA, etc.), wage and hour laws, and employee benefits (CalPERS, ACA, etc.).  Ms. Lee also provides management-side representation in labor relations. Ms. Lee’s litigation experience includes multi-million dollar inverse condemnation, eminent domain, CEQA, and constitutional rights claims in both State and Federal courts.  She has argued before the California Supreme Court on the matter of City of Perris v. Stamper, et al., (2016), 1 Cal.5th 576.  She currently serves as the City Attorney for the City of Hesperia and General Counsel for the Palmdale Water District and Bell Canyon Community Services District.

Transactional Matters

• Land Use/Housing: City of Cupertino Vallco Town Center (The Rise) Housing Project – Represented the city in the development of one of the most expensive mixed use developments in the State of California, with 2,402 residential high-rise units (including 1,201 affordable units), and over 2 million square feet of retail and office uses and a state-of-the-art green roof and recreational amenities

• Land Use/Housing: City of Rialto Renaissance Specific Plan – Represented city in the development and implementation of a 1,400 acre master-planned community with industrial, commercial, and residential development, including the development of the Renaissance Marketplace, a commercial retail center with 407,000 square feet of retail and entertainment uses

Housing: City of Perris Verano Affordable Housing Development – Represented the city in providing city loan and land grant for a 40 unit affordable housing development that received California low-income tax credits

• Labor & Employment: City of Cerritos – Represented the city in labor negotiations to achieve 3-year contracts; drafted employee handbook and personnel rules and policies; drafted COVID-19 Prevention Program and other safety standards

• Labor & Employment: City of Carson – Represented the city in labor negotiations; advised the city on various employee leave issues and accommodation processes; represented the city in employee disciplinary actions; drafted COVID-19 Prevention Program and other safety standards

• Labor & Employment: City of Hesperia – Represented the city in labor negotiations regarding layoffs; advised the city on various employee leave issues; represented the city manager in employee appeal hearings; negotiated executive employee terminations and settlements; drafted COVID-19 Prevention Program and other safety standards

Litigation Matters

• Cities of Carson, Redondo Beach, et al v. Rob Bonta (2022) Los Angeles Sup. Ct. Case No. 22STCP01143. Legal challenge by charter cities of SB 9, which eliminates single family zones and erodes local control over land use and zoning

• Endangered Habitats League, et al. v. City of Rialto (2019) San Bernardino County Sup. Ct. Case No. CIVDS1806755.  Successfully defended a city against legal challenge of violation of CEQA laws in city’s implementation of specific plan of a 1,250 acre master-planned community of residential and commercial development. 

• City of Perris v. Stamper, et al. (2016) 1 Cal.5th 576.  Successfully argued in favor of City certain constitutional issues related to a public agency’s authority to require dedication of private land for public use. 

• City Attorney, Hesperia

• General Counsel, Palmdale Water District

• General Counsel, Bell Canyon Community Services District

• General Counsel, El Dorado County Civil Service Commission

• Assistant/Interim City Attorney, Cerritos

• Assistant City Attorney, Rialto

• Assistant City Attorney, Lynwood

• Assistant City Attorney, Irwindale

• Assistant Town Attorney, Yucca Valley

• General Counsel, Anaheim Transportation Network

• State Bar of California

• US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

• US District Court, Central District of CA

• AB 2449 Eases Rules on Remote Meetings Under the Brown Act – But in a Complex Manner

• League of CA Cities Municipal Law Handbook

Legal Visionary, LA Times Business of Law (2022)

Attorney Coach, Mock Trial, Whitney High School

• Independent Cities Association Annual Conference – Keynote Speaker (August 2022)

• League of California Cities – Los Angeles County City Managers Conference (May 2022)

• Southern California Public Labor Relations Council (SCPLRC) – Monthly Meeting (April 2022)

• City Attorneys Association of Los Angeles County (CAALAC) – Monthly Meeting (February 2021)

• California Public Employers Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) – 2020 Annual Conference (November 2020)

• Appearance, ABC 7 – legal update on SB 188 and non-discrimination in the workplace based on hair textures or hairstyle intimately associated with race (December 2019)

• California Public Employers Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) – 2019 Annual Conference (November 2019)

• Public Employer Labor Relations Association of California (PELRAC) – 2018 Annual Conference (October 2018)

• National Public Employer Labor Relations Association (NPELRA) – 2017 Annual Conference (April 2017)

• Numerous supervisor and employee training sessions on Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Prevention, Brown Act and Ethics Training

• University of Southern California, JD, 2006

• University of California, Los Angeles, BA, Magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 2002