Michael J. Mais Honored as the 2017 Public Lawyer of the Year

The Public Law Section named Michael J. Mais, Long Beach Assistant City Attorney, as the 2017 Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year.

Mr. Mais was honored at a reception on August 18, 2017 at the State Bar’s Sections Convention in San Diego. The Public Lawyer of the Year Award recognizes Mr. Mais as an exceptional attorney who has dedicated the past 32 years to public service.

"The selection of Michael Mais as the 2017 Public Lawyer of the Year embodies the ideal public lawyer as one who has dedicated a career to providing advice to his clients on a broad range of legal issues while maintaining his ethics and his sense of humor," said John Appelbaum, Chair of the Public Law Section. "From the seaport to the City’s airport and everything in between, Mike’s career reflects the diversity of legal challenges facing a public lawyer. He has successfully relied upon that experience to serve as mentor and role model to younger attorneys new to the field of public law."

Mr. Mais began his career in the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s office as an attorney in 1979 and has been employed by the Long Beach City Attorney’s office since 1985, where he has served as Assistant City Attorney since 2003. In his current capacity, Mr. Mais oversees all four departments in the Long Beach City Attorney’s office – which include Litigation, Departmental Counsel, Workers’ Compensation, and Harbor – and is well-known for his sound and practical advice to all of his clients.

"Mike has more than exemplified the quintessential city attorney by going above and beyond serving not only the City of Long Beach but by acting as a role model for others as to what a city attorney should be. His longevity with the city demonstrates his extraordinary commitment to both the practice of law and the City of Long Beach," said Long Beach City Attorney Charles Parkin.

Mr. Mais offered the following remarks in response to the award:

"I am humbled beyond words to be the recipient of the 2017 Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year Award and I thank the Executive Committee of the Public Law Section of the State Bar for this recognition. To even be mentioned in the same breath with retired Chief Justice Ronald M. George and his more than 40 years of public service to the State of California is a true honor.
It is particularly gratifying to accept this award in San Diego where I attended both undergraduate school at the University of California, San Diego, and law school at the University of San Diego. It has been my great privilege to serve for nearly 33 years in the Long Beach City Attorney’s office, and I would like to thank and acknowledge my friends and co-workers in the office whose hard work and many accomplishments are an inspiration to me every day. Finally, thank you to all the many public law attorneys who have consistently shared their knowledge, expertise and talents with me over the years. It has been an honor to work with you all, and a truly incredible experience."

Mr. Mais received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego and his Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego. He is a member of the Public Law and Environmental Law sections of the California State Bar and the Long Beach Bar Association, and is the Past President of the City Attorney’s Association of Los Angeles County (CAALAC). In his spare time, he works with local youth as a mock trial coach and serves on the Board of Directors for Young Horizons, a nonprofit organization working to provide affordable child care for low income families in the Long Beach area.

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