Joseph M. Adams

Joseph M. Adams represents individuals, businesses and public entities — including cities, successor agencies and special districts — in a general advisory capacity, in litigation and on transactional matters.

Mr. Adams advises clients on the applicability and requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act, the Public Records Act, the Political Reform Act and other questions of general municipal and local government law. He also drafts resolutions and ordinances, including those that regulate land use and those that regulate personal and business activity: a business license requirement for owners of residential rental property, land use controls on the sale of alcohol, and the regulation of tobacco sales.

He prosecutes and defends civil claims for those same clients, and is routinely engaged in litigation over the scope, applicability and constitutionality of local regulatory ordinances, over compliance with the Brown Act, Public Records Act and Political Reform Act, and over tort claims involving public entities.

On the transactional side, Mr. Adams drafts real property purchase and sale agreements, easements, licenses, disposition and development agreements, leases and other documents relating to the sale, transfer and development of real property.