SBEMP Attorneys has announced the promotion of Phaedra A. Norton, Esq. to the position of partner in the firm.
Serving in the firm’s Public Agency and Municipal Law Department, Ms. Norton serves as the assistant city attorney for the cities of Banning and Beaumont, California.
Ms. Norton’s legal background spans 28 years of experience in municipal law, advising California cities, special districts, joint powers authorities, and public agencies. Before joining SBEMP Attorneys, she most recently served as city attorney for the City of Riverside, leading a 44-member legal team for the state’s 12th-largest municipality. Her prior posts include serving as city attorney for Merced and Turlock, as well as Contract City Attorney for Newman, and as General Counsel to regional water and risk-management authorities. Phaedra serves on the CalCities Public Records Act Committee and recently assisted with the update to The California Municipal Law Handbook.
Her practice spans:
- Governance and compliance (Brown Act, Public Records Act, elections and ethics)
- Public contracting, infrastructure and municipal finance
- Land-use, environmental and redevelopment matters
- Labor, employment and public-safety issues
- Complex code enforcement and litigation management
Phaedra is recognized for her strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and “solutions-first” approach, which align with SBEMP’s commitment to practical, client-focused counsel. She will work closely with our attorneys across the Coachella Valley, the Inland Empire, and beyond to support cities, special districts, and other public entities.
Phaedra has drafted a variety of special reports and documents to help elected officials in California navigate the Brown Act (Brown Act Closed Session Safe Harbor and Reporting Workbook), the California Public Records Act, Rosenberg’s Rules of Order (including the SBEMP Attorneys Rosenberg’s Rules of Order Cheat Sheet) and more. She also serves on the CalCities Public Records Act Committee and recently assisted with the update to the League of California Cities Municipal Law Handbook.
SBEMP Attorneys is a full-service law firm with offices in Indian Wells, Palm Springs, Orange County, Dallas, New Jersey, and New York. The firm has 11 partners, 25 attorneys, and an eight-person paralegal team, making it the largest law firm in Greater Palm Springs and one of the largest in Riverside County.