Sonia R. Carvalho

Partner

Irvine
5 Park Plaza
Suite 1500

TEL: (949) 263-2603
FAX: (949) 260-0972
Sonia.Carvalho@bbklaw.com

Public Finance

Sonia R. Carvalho is a Partner in the Public Law Department of Best Best & Krieger LLP and Managing Partner of the firm's Orange County office.  She joined Best Best & Krieger in 1992.  Ms. Carvalho is the City Attorney for the Cities of Azusa, Claremont and Yorba Linda.  She specializes in all aspects of municipal law.  In addition, she advises a variety of redevelopment agencies including the Redevelopment Agencies of the Cities of Corona, Azusa, Colton, Claremont and Yorba Linda.

Ms. Carvalho attended the University of California at Irvine and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Social Ecology.  She received her J.D. from UCLA School of Law where she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Chicano-Latino Law Review.  Ms. Carvalho was admitted to the California Bar in 1992. 

Ms. Carvalho’s specialized areas of practice include municipal taxes, fees and charges; election law; land use and conflicts of interest.  She routinely participates in municipal law workshops and has spoken on topics of municipal law ranging from the Ralph M. Brown Act to election issues.  Ms. Carvalho has authored several articles on redevelopment law and on the Howard Jarvis Right to Vote on Taxes Initiative, Proposition 218. 

She is a member of several professional organizations such as the American Bar Association (member, section on urban, state and local government law), the Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles and the Orange County Bar Association.  Ms. Carvalho has served as a Board Member of the West End Legal Aid Clinic and provides volunteer legal services.

Ms. Carvalho is a frequent speaker on municipal law topics, including the Brown Act, Conflict of Interest laws and initiative and referendum law.  She is a past editor of The California Municipal Law Handbook, chapter on initiative and referenda.

Bar & Court Admissions

• California, 1992

Education

• JD, University of California at Los Angeles School of Law
• BA, University of California at Irvine