Michele Beal Bagneris

Michele Beal Bagneris, Esq., was named the Pasadena City Attorney in May, 1997. At that time, she was a shareholder in the law firm of Richards, Watson & Gershon, where she specialized in public law since joining the firm in 1983. While serving as Pasadena City Attorney, she continued to practice law as a member of the law firm, advising public clients in a wide range of areas, including land use, general advisory matters, litigation, labor and employment, code enforcement, and nuisance abatement matters. While at the firm, she served on the firm’s Hiring and Associates Evaluation Committees and handled and supervised other lawyers in municipal prosecution matters (misdemeanors and infractions) for the firm’s clients. She also served as the City Attorney for the City of Monrovia from 1992 until she departed from the law firm after 16 years of practice on September 30, 1999.

In 1999, she accepted an offer of employment from the Pasadena City Council to become the in-house City Attorney for the City of Pasadena, which became effective October 1, 1999. She currently serves in that position and is also the Acting City Prosecutor. As the City Attorney and Acting City Prosecutor, she is responsible for managing all legal matters for the city, including supervision of in-house lawyers and charge and control of any outside counsel engaged to advise the city.

Ms. Bagneris received her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Stanford University in 1980 and her Juris Doctorate Degree in 1983 from Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley. She has conducted training seminars and presented papers to the League of California Cities, Southern California Code Enforcement Officers Organization and other professional organizations on subjects including a variety of municipal law matters for Mayors and Councilmembers, Daytime Juvenile Curfew Ordinances, and nuisance abatement.

Ms. Bagneris is active in professional and community organizations including President of the City Attorney’s Association of Los Angeles County; Los Angeles County Bar Association; American Bar Association; Langston Bar Association; Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles; and Henry McNeal Turner A.M.E. Church. She previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Urban League and on the State Bar Committee on Human Rights. She is admitted to practice law in the State of California, United States District Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Ms. Bagneris is married to Rev. Jules S. Bagneris, III, and they have three children.