Michael Jenkins
USC Gould School of Law

Michael Jenkins is a partner with the law firm of Best Best & Krieger, LLP and specializes in the practice of municipal law. He currently serves as city attorney for the cities of Goleta (since 2017), Hermosa Beach (since 1996), Rolling Hills (since 1982) and West Hollywood (since 1984) and as general counsel to the Los Angeles County West Vector Control District, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, the Westside Cities Council of Governments and the Harbor Community Benefit Foundation.

He served as president of the City Attorneys Department of the League of California Cities (1993), co-authored the original version of the league’s Municipal Law Handbook and chaired the league’s Brown Act Committee from 1994 to 2016. He served as editor for Open & Public V, the league’s manual on the Brown Act. Jenkins also served as president of the City Attorneys Association of Los Angeles County and member of the Executive Committee of the Public Law Section of the State Bar, as well as editor of the section newsletter.

Jenkins has been practicing law for 41 years, most of that time in the area of municipal law. He was admitted to the State Bar in 1978 immediately following his graduation with honors from Duke University School of Law, where he served as executive editor of the Duke Law Journal. Jenkins graduated with highest honors from Haverford College.

In 2015, Jenkins was honored by the American Bar Association with the Jefferson Fordham Advocacy Award, which recognizes professional excellence in the practice of state and local government law.  

FACULTY IN THE NEWS

The New York Times
January 28, 2023
Re: Jody David Armour

Professor Jody Armour was interviewed by the New York Times about the recent policy brutality incident that led to the death of Tyre Nichols. “It’s not just a Black and white issue, but a Black and blue one. And when you put on that blue uniform, it often becomes the primary identity that drowns out any other identities that might compete with it," Armour said.

RECENT SCHOLARSHIP

Robin Craig
December, 2022

"Climate Adaptation in the United States." Frontiers in Marine Science 9 (2022) December. Special Topic: Ocean Governance and Climate Adaptation: Comparing Responses, Charting Future Courses.

Scott Altman
December, 2022

"Why Parents' Interests Matter." Ethics 133 (forthcoming 2023): 271.

Jonathan Barnett
December, 2022

"The China Innovation Challenge." Center for Strategic & International Studies interview, Washington, D.C.