Michael Cobden joined the Firm in 2020. Michael currently serves as Interim Assistant City Attorney for the City of Moreno Valley and Senior Deputy City Attorney for the City of Rancho Mirage. Michael’s primary duties include managing the Firm’s civil and criminal litigation caseload, coordinating the preparation of administrative records, overseeing all discovery, serving as liaison to special counsel, monitoring Government Tort claims and advising Code Compliance with respect to conducting thorough investigations, developing effective enforcement strategies, and pursuing cost-effective and time-efficient prosecution. Due to Michael’s extensive experience in the area of public safety, he has been designated the lead attorney who handles most matters for Police, Fire and Code Compliance. In addition to the above, Michael also has a solid background in the area of public finance which contributes to his unique ability to provide timely and creative legal advice and guidance on a wide array of tax, fee, and revenue issues under Propositions 218 and 26.

Prior to joining the Firm, Michael has served as City Prosecutor for the City of Santa Monica, Town Attorney for the Town of Yountville, CA, a staff attorney for the California Supreme Court and General Legal Counsel for fire and water districts throughout California. In connection with providing general legal services to cities and special districts for over 10 years, Michael represented a multitude of public agencies in both state and federal courts on matters such as short-term rental regulation, sex offender residency restrictions, public finance, and LAFCo annexation; he has extensive experience with handling misdemeanor criminal prosecutions involving jury trials, law and motion hearings and appeals. In addition to practicing, Michael taught law as an Adjunct Professor of Legal Writing and Oral Advocacy at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, CA.

Michael received his J.D.in 2008 from U.C. Hastings College of Law, with a Concentration in Criminal Law and Theory. During law school, Michael served as a Law Clerk for the First District Appellate Project in San Francisco, a Legal Intern for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, and a Judicial Extern to the Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal in Los Angeles. Michael received his BA with a Major in Classics and a Commendation for Academic Excellence from Reed College in 1999.