Michael G. Colantuono
Shareholder
Michael G. Colantuono has represented California local governments since 1989. He has been City Attorney of seven cities. Mr. Colantuono represents cities, counties, and special districts in advisory and litigation matters, with a broad range of public law expertise. He has particularly deep experience in the law of municipal revenues, including Propositions 13, 218 and 26. Mr. Colantuono is also an experienced expert witness on attorneys fees, the standard of care for public lawyers, public law issues, and issues pertinent to the operations of California governments. Mr. Colantuono received his BA, magna cum laude, from Harvard University in 1983 and his J.D. from the Univeristy of California, Berkeley Law School in 1988. He practiced at a medium-sized Los Angeles municipal law firm for 13 years before forming what is now Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC in 2002. Mr. Colantuono is certified as a specialist in appellate law by the California State Bar. He has appeared in the California Supreme Court, arguing 16 cases there since 2004, as well as in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, all six California District Courts of Appeal, and in trial courts around California. Mr. Colantuono is a former President of the California State Bar; past President of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers; a member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers; and serves on the Appellate Advisory Committee to the California Judicial Council. In 2010, the State Bar named him the Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year.
