The City Attorney of San Francisco is an elected position in the City and County of San Francisco, California. While

city-county consolidation In United States local government, a consolidated city-county is formed when one or more cities and their surrounding county ( parish in Louisiana, borough in Alaska) merge into one unified jurisdiction. As such it has the governmental powers ...

resulted in the unified government attaining both a city attorney and a

district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...

, the two positions are separate and serve different purposes. Whereas District Attorney office is, as is the case throughout the United States, charged with prosecuting crime (i.e. has the equivalent function of a Prosecutor's Office in other legislations), City Attorney provides legal services to the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, and the rest of the city and county administration, examines surety bonds, contracts and ordinances and represents the city and county administration in civil claims, formally as a representative of People of the State of California. The City Attorney is assisted by a number of Assistant City Attorneys.

History

The present City Attorney position was created in 1899, when the former offices of the City Attorney and County Attorney were unified;

Franklin Knight Lane Franklin Knight Lane (July 15, 1864 – May 18, 1921) was an American progressive politician from California. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as United States Secretary of the Interior from 1913 to 1920. He also served as a comm ...

was the first City Attorney elected under this regime. The first woman to hold the position was

Louise Renne Louise Renne is a lawyer, former Supervisor and one-time City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, California. She was born to Anne Bartrem Hornbeck (1909 – 2001). She is a graduate of both Michigan State University and Columbi ...

in 1986, appointed by then-mayor

Dianne Feinstein Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein ( ; born Dianne Emiel Goldman; June 22, 1933) is an American politician who serves as the senior United States senator from California, a seat she has held since 1992. A member of the Democratic Party, she was ...

following the death of previous City Attorney George Agnost.

List of City Attorneys

Prior to 1899

* Harry T. Creswell (1893–1898) *

Frederick Palmer Tracy Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederi ...

After 1899

(1899–1902) * Percy V. Long (1902–1906) *

William J. Burke William Joseph Burke (September 25, 1862 – November 7, 1925) was a British-born American politician and businessman. Biography Burke was born in London, England, of Irish people, Irish parents. He served a four-year term on the Allegheny Commo ...

(1906–1908) * Percy V. Long (1908–1916) *

George Lull George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

(1916–1926) * John J. O'Toole (1926–1949) * Dion R. Holm (1949–1961) *

Thomas Martin O'Connor Thomas Martin O'Connor (1913 – July 26, 1998) was an American lawyer who served as City Attorney of San Francisco The City Attorney of San Francisco is an elected position in the City and County of San Francisco, California. While city-cou ...

(1961–1977) * George Agnost (1977–1986) *Philip Ward (1986–1986) *

(1986–2001) *

Dennis Herrera Dennis Herrera is an American attorney, currently serving as Public Utilities Commission general manager for San Francisco. Herrera was previously City Attorney of San Francisco, known for his longtime legal advocacy for same-sex marriage in Cali ...

(2002–2021) * David Chiu (2021–present) {{California-poli-stub * Government of San Francisco Lawyers from San Francisco 1899 establishments in California