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Lawyer Profile

Image of John Pinkney

John Pinkney

Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2020
  • Recognized in:
    Municipal Law
  • Law School:
    Brigham Young University
  • Lawyer Page:
    https://sbemp.com/john-pinkney...
  • Website:
    https://www.sbemp.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    760-322-2275
  • Phone Number:
    760-322-2275
  • E-mail:
    pinkney@sbemp.com
  • Languages:
  • Locations:
    1800 East Tahquitz Canyon Way
    Palm Springs, CA 92262
  • 650 Town Center Drive, Suite 1400
    Costa Mesa, CA 92626

John O. Pinkney is the managing partner of the firm Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney LLP. Prior to joining Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney, Mr. Pinkney practiced 18 years at Best Best & Krieger LLP where he served on the firm’s executive committee and as the managing partner of the firm’s Desert office.

Mr. Pinkney was appointed in May 2015 to serve as the City Attorney to the City of Beaumont.  Mr. Pinkney also serves as the City attorney to the City of Needles, California.  He serves as general counsel and litigation counsel to Mission Springs Water District and as general counsel to a public utility authority and Myoma Dunes Water Company.  Mr. Pinkney is also special counsel to joint powers authorities and California cities and recently and successfully represented a central California County in high stakes, high profile litigation in Federal Court.  Mr. Pinkney also serves as litigation counsel to the Salton Community Services District where he recently prevailed in the trial of an action challenging the District’s proposed parcel tax measure.

Mr. Pinkney has also served as assistant city attorney to several Southern California municipalities and has represented public agencies in large and complex litigation matters. These matters have included constitutional rights issues; tax issues; election issues; Proposition 218 and rate setting issues; contract issues; labor and employment issues; and cases involving disputes over real estate projects. He served as co-trial counsel for a public agency client in a complex trial in which the client obtained a $17 million dollar judgment against a developer. Mr. Pinkney also obtained $5 million for a public agency client that was damaged when a large international retail company breached an operating covenant agreement. Mr. Pinkney served as trial and appellate counsel in the landmark case Mission Springs Water District v. Verjil, which upheld the right of a county water district to challenge utility rate reduction ballot measures that propose to reduce utility rates below the cost to deliver essential government services.  Mr. Pinkney has also authored amicus briefs at the Appellate and Supreme Court level for the League of California Cities, the Association of California Water Agencies and the California State Association of Counties.  In addition,  Mr. Pinkney has provided training and been a frequent speaker on the topics of the Brown Act; the Public Records Act; Conflict of Interest Issues; utility rate setting, propositions 218 and 26; as well as Risk Management.

Education

Mr. Pinkney received his B.A. and J.D., cum laude, from Brigham Young University where he was a member of Phi Delta Phi, Inns of Court and Order of the Barristers, and served as chairman of the Moot Court program. While in law school, he was a member of BYU’s National Moot Court Team and was a founding member of one of the law school’s law journals.

Practice Areas

  • Propositions 218, 26 and utility rate setting
  • Public Agency General Counsel Representation
  • Public Agency Litigation and Dispute Resolution
  • Brown Act/Conflict of Interest Compliance
  • Business and Public Litigation
LLP 
Continue Reading
  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Lawyer Practice Areas
  • Firm Details
  • News & Media

Lawyer Bio

John O. Pinkney is the managing partner of the firm Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney LLP. Prior to joining Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney, Mr. Pinkney practiced 18 years at Best Best & Krieger LLP where he served on the firm’s executive committee and as the managing partner of the firm’s Desert office.

Mr. Pinkney was appointed in May 2015 to serve as the City Attorney to the City of Beaumont.  Mr. Pinkney also serves as the City attorney to the City of Needles, California.  He serves as general counsel and litigation counsel to Mission Springs Water District and as general counsel to a public utility authority and Myoma Dunes Water Company.  Mr. Pinkney is also special counsel to joint powers authorities and California cities and recently and successfully represented a central California County in high stakes, high profile litigation in Federal Court.  Mr. Pinkney also serves as litigation counsel to the Salton Community Services District where he recently prevailed in the trial of an action challenging the District’s proposed parcel tax measure.

Mr. Pinkney has also served as assistant city attorney to several Southern California municipalities and has represented public agencies in large and complex litigation matters. These matters have included constitutional rights issues; tax issues; election issues; Proposition 218 and rate setting issues; contract issues; labor and employment issues; and cases involving disputes over real estate projects. He served as co-trial counsel for a public agency client in a complex trial in which the client obtained a $17 million dollar judgment against a developer. Mr. Pinkney also obtained $5 million for a public agency client that was damaged when a large international retail company breached an operating covenant agreement. Mr. Pinkney served as trial and appellate counsel in the landmark case Mission Springs Water District v. Verjil, which upheld the right of a county water district to challenge utility rate reduction ballot measures that propose to reduce utility rates below the cost to deliver essential government services.  Mr. Pinkney has also authored amicus briefs at the Appellate and Supreme Court level for the League of California Cities, the Association of California Water Agencies and the California State Association of Counties.  In addition,  Mr. Pinkney has provided training and been a frequent speaker on the topics of the Brown Act; the Public Records Act; Conflict of Interest Issues; utility rate setting, propositions 218 and 26; as well as Risk Management.

Education

Mr. Pinkney received his B.A. and J.D., cum laude, from Brigham Young University where he was a member of Phi Delta Phi, Inns of Court and Order of the Barristers, and served as chairman of the Moot Court program. While in law school, he was a member of BYU’s National Moot Court Team and was a founding member of one of the law school’s law journals.

Practice Areas

  • Propositions 218, 26 and utility rate setting
  • Public Agency General Counsel Representation
  • Public Agency Litigation and Dispute Resolution
  • Brown Act/Conflict of Interest Compliance
  • Business and Public Litigation
LLP 
Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Award List

Education:

  • Brigham Young University , J.D., graduated 1992
  • Brigham Young University, graduated 1989

Bar Admissions:

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Municipal Law
 

Awards:

 

Lawyer Client Comments

-

Lawyer Practice Areas

Key: Awarded in Best Lawyers Not Currently Awarded for this Area in Best Lawyers

Firm Details

Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney LLP
https://www.sbemp.com
 
650 Town Center Drive, Suite 1400
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-435-9592
6 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

California

California

Indian Wells, CA

74785 Hwy 111, Suite 105

Indian Wells, CA 92210

United States

760-322-9240

Get Directions

Palm Springs, CA

1800 East Tahquitz Canyon Way

Palm Springs, CA 92262

United States

760-322-2275

Get Directions

San Diego, CA

121 Broadway, Suite 553

San Diego, CA 92101

United States

619-501-4540

Get Directions

New Jersey

New Jersey

Princeton, NJ

103 Carnegie Center Boulevard, Suite 300

Princeton, NJ 08540

United States

609-955-3393

Get Directions

New York

New York

New York, NY

405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, NY 10174

United States

212-829-4399

Get Directions

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