The Office of the County Counsel provides legal services to the Board of Supervisors and County Departments as well as many special districts and agencies including the Ukiah Valley Sanitation District, Mendocino Council of Governments, Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority, Mendocino County Resource Conservation District, Mendocino Transit Authority, Mendocino County Air Quality Management District, and the Mendocino County Water District. The office also provides services to Northern California Health Care Authority, a California Joint Powers Agency. In addition to providing daily legal advice on personnel, land use, contract and bidding issues, the attorneys appear in court and represent the County in juvenile dependency, code enforcement, mental health competency hearings, Pitchess and bail recovery motions. The office also represents the County and its employees in the defense of all claims filed against the County both in State and Federal Court.

Jeanine B. Nadel is the County Counsel, and she was appointed by the Board of Supervisors in 2005. The County Counsel is appointed by the Board of Supervisors for a four-year term pursuant to section 27641 of the California Government Code. Ms. Nadel is admitted to practice law in the State of California, the Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern Districts of Federal Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. In addition to Ms. Nadel, there are four deputies and one chief deputy. The attorneys are all assigned to represent the various departments, agencies and districts. The office also has four support staff members who assist the attorneys.

Mission Statement

The Office of the County Counsel is committed to providing the highest and best quality of legal representation in a timely and responsive manner. The office is responsible to assist the County, through its governing body and other clients, to advance public policy and promote the public interest.

The office is available to provide, at no cost, training in Ethics, Brown Act, Public Records Act, Sexual Harassment, and Discrimination, to those entities that need to comply with mandated training laws.

The Office of County Counsel is not responsible for providing legal advice to the general public but will assist in directing a member of the public to the appropriate department that will serve the needs of the individual.

Contact Information

County Counsel
County of Mendocino
Administration Center
501 Low Gap Road, Rm. 1030
Ukiah, CA 95482
Telephone: (707) 463-4446
Facsimile: (707)463-4592
Email