John Bakker

John Bakker is a city attorney and general counsel for a variety of Special Districts throughout California. His expertise covers the full spectrum of public law issues. In addition to government finance, Mr. Bakker also oversees compliance with the Political Reform Act and elections, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act, and the California Public Records Act. Since joining Meyers Nave in 2001, Mr. Bakker has advised municipal clients on these and other public law issues. Currently, his responsibilities include serving as city attorney for Dublin and Cotati, and as General Counsel for various special districts, such as the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority; Housing Authority of Monterey County; Kensington Fire Protection District; Mountain House Community Services District; Napa Sanitation District; and Tamalpais Community Services District. Additionally, Mr. Bakker serves as Bayshore Sanitary District's Assistant General Counsel.

Graduate of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Mr. Bakker obtained his law degree in 1998 and his BA in History from the University of California, Berkeley in 1995. Having spent the last 20 plus years at Meyers Nave, he has had considerable success in his field of practice. As an attorney representing the League of California Cities, Mr. Bakker claimed that Proposition 22 and Proposition 1A violations of the California Constitution were involved in the state budget's allocation of vehicle license fee revenues. He assisted Alameda and San Mateo County jurisdictions in the prosecution of a test claim at the State Mandates Commission alleging that stormwater permit obligations are unfunded state mandates. In Contra Costa County, Mr. Bakker advised two fire districts against consolidation proposals and supported the takeover of the fire service by two separate cities from special districts. He is also recognized for successfully negotiating on a municipal Wi-Fi agreement with AT&T on behalf of the city of Napa.

Mr. Bakker was listed as a Super Lawyer in 2022 and recognized as “The Best Lawyers in America” between 2020 and 2024 for Land Use and Zoning Law/Municipal Law. A noted authority in his field, he wrote or was quoted on a variety of topics as an expert in his field, including "Legislature Poised to Adopt Bill Legalizing Housing on Commercial Property," July 2, 2020 in The Public Law Journal, and "Housing Law Update: Summary of California’s New Housing Laws," Fall 2019 for the California Lawyers Association.