Alameda City Council set to appoint Yibin Shen as City Attorney

Published on March 12, 2019

PRESS RELEASE
March 12, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
510-747-4714

“The City Council and I are delighted to announce our unanimous selection of Yibin Shen to be City Attorney for the City of Alameda, effective May 13, 2019. Mr. Shen, who is currently Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of Santa Monica, brings a wealth of valuable legal experience to our City Attorney’s Office. I am confident he will be a great asset to our City,” stated Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft.

Following the retirement of Alameda City Attorney Janet Kern last December, the City began a recruitment process for a new City Attorney. Fifteen applications were received and the top four candidates were invited to interview with the City Council. At the conclusion of those interviews, Mr. Shen was identified as the top candidate.

In his role as Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of Santa Monica, Mr. Shen oversees the Code Enforcement and Municipal Divisions, supervises ten attorneys and five support staff, leads the City’s regulatory prosecutorial efforts, and provides legal advice on a wide range of topics, including First Amendment, tenant protections, law enforcement, homelessness, land use, environmental protection, sustainability, conflicts, and the Brown Act. Prior to working for the City of Santa Monica, Mr. Shen worked in private practice.

Alameda’s City Attorney is appointed by and reports directly to the Mayor and City Council. As the City’s principal legal advisor and attorney, the City Attorney is responsible for administering all legal affairs of the City.

A Special Meeting to approve Mr. Shen’s appointment as City Attorney has been added to the March 19, 2019 City Council meeting agenda. If his appointment is approved, Mr. Shen will begin work on May 13, 2019. The proposed City Attorney hiring agreement includes:
• Annual salary of $247,000
• Relocation allowance of $16,000
• Other benefits including a contribution to deferred compensation, health insurance, leave accruals, and holiday pay

#####