Tom Hallinan has made the grade as city attorney.

When Michael Lyions left the position last November after 44 years, the council hired the Sacramento law firm of Churchill White LLP and appointed Hallinan as interim city attorney position with partners Douglas L. White and Nubia I. Goldstein as deputy city attorneys. Their six-month performance was reviewed on May 11 during a closed session. The Ceres City Council decided to make Hallinan the permanent city attorney.

Hallinan is no stranger to the area. A 1979 graduate of Oakdale High School and son of former Oakdale city attorney Thomas Hallinan, Tom also serves as an elected member on the Yosemite Community College District Board of Trustees, a body he has been elected to for the fifth time. Hallinan has served as a governor's appointee to the 38th District Agricultural Association, and on numerous local non-profit boards and commissions.

Besides Ceres, Hallinan represents the counsel to special districts in Empire and Grayson, as well as city attorney in Oakdale, Riverbank, and Patterson. He is experienced in providing legal advice on the Brown Act, Political Reform Act, Public Records Act, contracts and procurement, and all phases of real property development including public finance. He also prosecutes all municipal code violations.

A 20-year member of the Central Valley City Attorney's Association, Tom is also active in the League of California Cities' City Attorney Department. He was recently appointed as the Central Valley representative to the League's Legal Advocacy Committee.

He also serves on the Stanislaus-Ceres Oversight Board of the former Redevelopment Agency, and the Stanislaus County Assessment Appeals Board.

Prior to joining Churchwell White, Tom worked in the California Legislature, and for the State of California, Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy at California State University, Fresno, before earning his law degree from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento. After his education, he worked as a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of California as well as a California State Legislature staff member and law clerk with the Judicial Council of California.