Legal Alerts Sep 14, 2021
Update: Gov. Newsom Signs AB 361 Amending the Brown Act
Urgency Bill Takes Immediate Effect to Allow Virtual Meetings Under Certain Circumstances
At a Glance
Ruben is managing partner of the firm’s Ontario office.
He serves as city attorney for the cities of Ontario and Fontana, general counsel to the Oxnard Harbor District, Crescent City Harbor District and board counsel to SCAG.
Ruben is chair of the State Bar of California Board of Trustees.
Managing Partner of the firm’s Ontario office, Ruben Duran represents exclusively public agencies in the Municipal Law and Government Policy & Public Integrity practice groups of Best Best & Krieger LLP. He brings a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to the practice of public law. With an emphasis on open government and transparency and complex conflicts of interest issues, as well as elections law, land use and planning issues, Ruben also provides special counsel to many of the firm’s clients.
He serves as city attorney for the cities of Ontario and Fontana and general counsel for the Oxnard Harbor District, which owns and operates the commercial Port of Hueneme in Ventura County, and the Crescent City Harbor District at the Oregon border. Ruben also serves as Board Counsel to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the nation’s largest Metropolitan Planning Organization representing over 190 jurisdictions and nearly 19 million residents across six counties. As general counsel of these public entities, Ruben is responsible for all legal services, including advising the elected boards and staff at public meetings and day-to-day transactional and advisory services on issues such as public bidding and contracting, environmental laws and regulations, land use and planning, labor and employment matters, as well as oversight and management of litigation.
He has experience with public-private partnerships and is instrumental in assisting his public agency clients partner with large financial institutions and nonprofit organizations to finance and construct public projects. These include the use of New Markets Tax Credits for the development of shore-side power infrastructure and an intermodal transportation facility for the Oxnard Harbor District, where he serves as general counsel (completed 2015), and a state-of-the art health and wellness facility in the City of Desert Hot Springs, where he was city attorney (completed 2013).
Ruben previously served as city attorney of Adelanto (2017-2018) and Desert Hot Springs (2006-2012) and general counsel of the Fontana Unified School District (2011-2012).
While attending the UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly Hastings), Ruben was a two-time national moot court champion in the Hispanic National Bar Association’s moot court competition. Prior to attending law school, Ruben served a year as a Public Affairs Fellow in the prestigious Coro Fellowship Program in public affairs.
A frequent speaker and presenter on ethics and open government, Ruben enjoys meeting and interacting with public officials and employees from throughout the State, sharing a common goal of efficient, effective and ethical public service. He was appointed to the California State Bar Board of Trustees in 2018 by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, and appointed chair of the Board in 2021 by the California Supreme Court. He is past president of the City Attorneys Association of Los Angeles County. Ruben serves on the boards of the Institute for Local Government, Coro Southern California and the Southeast Arts and Cultural Foundation.
Ruben is married with two adult sons. He enjoys reading, lifting weights and cooking. Ruben is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central and Northern districts of California and the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Education
- UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly Hastings), J.D.
- University of California, San Diego, B.A., political science
Admissions
- California
Honors/Awards
- Brown, Mulligan, Rocha Distinguished Public Service Award, International Municipal Lawyers Association, 2022
- Latino Leaders Worth Watching, Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2021
- JD Supra Readers’ Choice Top Authors, 2020
Authored Articles & Publications Oct 23, 2019
Connecting Housing and Transportation for Livable Cities
Livability Discussion Part 2 by Partners Ruben Duran and Michael Maurer in PublicCEO
Authored Articles & Publications Oct 23, 2019
In Housing Crisis, Calif. Lawmakers Look for Ways to Increase Livability
Livability Discussion Part 1 by Partners Ruben Duran and Michael Maurer in PublicCEO
Authored Articles & Publications Apr 26, 2018
Staff & Board: Defining Roles, Staying Inside the Lines
Partners Ruben Duran and Christopher Pisano Write for PublicCEO
Legal Alerts Apr 05, 2018
A District Attorney May Employ Outside Counsel on a Contingent Fee Basis
Ninth Circuit Opinion in Unfair Competition Suit Seeking Civil Penalties
Legal Alerts Apr 04, 2018
The First Self-Driving Death
Mitigating Risks, Regulatory Update and a Tale of Two States
Legal Alerts Oct 31, 2017
Drones: A Legal and Regulatory Update
Recent White House and Federal Court Action Impacting Future UAS Regulations
Legal Alerts Sep 20, 2017
The Smoke Clears? AB 133 Passes
Bill Makes Numerous Changes to California Cannabis Laws — Effective Immediately
Legal Alerts Sep 11, 2017
Ban on Officers Discussing K9 Program Violated First Amendment
Ninth Circuit Decision on Nevada State Highway Patrol Prior Restraint Case
Authored Articles & Publications Jun 05, 2017
The People's Business: A Guide to the California Public Records Act
BB&K Attorneys Contributed to Cal Cities Publication
Authored Articles & Publications Mar 03, 2017
Officials’ Top 10 Things to Remember About Public Participation in Local Government
By Ruben Duran
Authored Articles & Publications Feb 01, 2017
New Markets Tax Credits – the Best Kept Secret in Financing Public Projects
By Ruben Duran
Authored Articles & Publications Jan 06, 2017
Understanding the Basics of Public Service Ethics Laws
BB&K Attorneys Contributed to Update of ILG’s Flagship Ethics Resource
Legal Alerts Dec 09, 2016
Are Private E-mails & Text Messages “Public Records?”
Decision Expected Soon from California Supreme Court
Authored Articles & Publications Sep 14, 2016
The Ethics Advisor: The Details Matter — Recusing Yourself Due to Conflict of Interest
By Ruben Duran
Authored Articles & Publications May 04, 2016
The Ethics Advisor: Bad Stuff Sometimes Happens, Even to Good People
By Ruben Duran
Legal Alerts Apr 21, 2016
Municipalities May Not Grant Preferential Parking to Residents Based on Dwelling Type
California Attorney General Addresses Local Preferential Parking Regulations
Legal Alerts Apr 06, 2016
U.S. Supreme Court Holds States and Localities May Continue to Draw Voting Districts Based on Total Population
Total Population, However, May Not Be the Only Standard Upon Which Voting Areas Can Be Based
- “The Ethics Advisor: Fair Elections in California,” Southern California Latino Policy Center (via BBKnowledge), Oct. 18, 2017
- “The Ethics Advisor: Cuidado with Decisions that Hit Too Close to Home (Literally),” BBKnowledge, June 15, 2017
- “The Ethics Advisor: The Details Matter — Recusing Yourself Due to Conflict of Interest," Southern California Latino Policy Center Newsletter, Sept. 14, 2016
- "The Ethics Advisor: 13 Things You Need to Know About Campaign Restrictions," Southern California Latino Policy Center Newsletter, Aug. 16, 2016
- “The Ethics Advisor: It’s Getting Hot in Here,” SoCalLatinos, July 13, 2016 (via BBKnowledge)
- “The Ethics Advisor: Vamos a la Playa!” SoCalLatinos, June 16, 2016 (via BBKnowledge)
- "The Ethics Advisor: Bad Stuff Sometimes Happens, Even to Good People," Southern California Latino Policy Center Newsletter, May 3, 2016
- “What does “One Person, One Vote” Mean?,” BBKnowledge, Dec. 10, 2015
- “The Ethics Advisor: I’ve Just Been Elected (or Re-Elected) to Local Public Office — Now What?” Southern California Latino Policy Center Newsletter, Nov. 17, 2015
- “The Ethics Advisor: The Proper Roles of Staff and Elected Officials,” Southern California Latino Policy Center Newsletter, Oct. 21, 2015
- “The Ethics Advisor: The California Public Official’s Quick and Clean Guide to Gift Rules and Regulations” SoCalLatinos, Sept. 17, 2015 (via BBKnowledge)
- “The Ethics Advisor: Watch Out For Technology! The Ethical Use of Technology in Your Role as Public Official” SoCalLatinos, June 10, 2015 (via BBKnowledge)
- “The Ethics Advisor: Don’t be Such a Crybaby!” Southern California Latino Policy Center Newsletter, May 6, 2015
