Jeffrey A. Minnery

Jeffrey A. Minnery joined the firm in April 2008 and became a partner in 2014. Mr. Minnery represents clients in the areas of land use, real estate, public entity representation, construction, and various litigation and transactional matters. Mr. Minnery also has experience representing numerous public entities and he is currently General Counsel to multiple local government agencies including the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District, the Port San Luis Harbor District, the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority, multiple Community Services Districts, and various Special Districts. Mr. Minnery graduated summa cum laude from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2004, where he was an editor of the Santa Clara Law Review and a member of the Trial Team.

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

Mr. Minnery began his career in a large Bay Area law firm where he represented clients in securities litigation and commercial class action lawsuits. Since moving to the Central Coast in 2008, Mr. Minnery has focused his practice on the areas of public entity representation, land use, real estate, business transactions, and business litigation. He has successfully prevailed in civil trials and arbitrations and regularly advises clients on business transactional matters. Mr. Minnery also provides ongoing legal services for public entity clients.

A sample of Mr. Minnery’s recent matters include:

  • Successfully negotiated a multi-million-dollar fifty (50) year public/private partnership lease agreement for the Port San Luis Harbor District
  • Negotiated multiple land and water use agreements for various public and private clients
  • Successfully defended multiple agencies in writ of mandate actions for various administrative actions
  • Successfully defended the San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District (APCD) in a civil trial alleging violation of the Ralph M. Brown Act. The APCD prevailed on all counts
  • Successfully defended multiple agencies in writ of mandate actions for various administrative actions
  • Prevailed in a binding arbitration for a client suing to recover damages in a real estate transaction. Mr. Minnery secured a recovery of full damages including an award of attorney fees and costs
  • Represented a mutual water company in a local ground water adjudication resulting in a negotiated stipulated judgment
  • Successfully negotiated settlements in several petroleum contamination matters
  • Arbitrated and prevailed in a breach of contract matter for a client defending the early termination of a lease and alleging damages
  • Represented clients (both public and private) in eminent domain matters

PRIOR WORK HISTORY

Before joining AMMCG, Mr. Minnery was an attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP where he practiced in a variety of fields including federal securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, labor and employment, intellectual property, as well as general commercial matters. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Minnery pursued a career in music as a singer and songwriter.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, ADMISSIONS, STANDING

Mr. Minnery is a member of the California Bar Association and the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in all Superior Courts and multiple Federal Courts in the State of California. In the community, Mr. Minnery is an active member of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce and a graduate of Leadership SLO. In 2009, he was recognized as one of the County’s “40 under 40” by the Pacific Coast Business Times. Mr. Minnery has served on the Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation board.

WRITING AND SPEAKING

  • Speaker, San Luis Obispo County Bar Association presentation on the Ralph M. Brown Act (2020)
  • Co-Author, Trends in Claims Against Lawyers, Securities Litigation Report (February 2007)
  • Co-Author, Liability Issues for Audit Firms – The Risk of Catastrophic Exposure Prompts Calls for Liability Reforms, Securities Litigation Report (April 2007)
  • Contributing Author, Current Trends in Federal Securities Litigation, ALI-ABA Post-Graduate Course in Federal Securities Law (June 2007)
  • Contributing Author, Current Trends in Federal Securities Litigation, Practicing Law Institute, Securities Litigation and Enforcement Institute (October 2007)

EDUCATION

Juris Doctor, Santa Clara University School of Law (Summa Cum Laude)

  • Member of the Order to the Coif, Law Review Editor, Trial Team Member (Winner of Outstanding Oral Advocate), B.T. Collins Scholarship Award for Public Service

Bachelor of Science (Journalism), University of Colorado at Boulder

PERSONAL

Mr. Minnery lives in San Luis Obispo with his wife and children. He enjoys music, plays guitar and sings in a local rock band.

Jeffrey A Minnery