Best Best & Krieger Welcomes Nine Attorneys to the Firm’s Partnership
2025 Promotions and Elections to Executive Committee Strengthen Leadership Across Firm
Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) attorneys Shauna Amon, Patrick Donegan, Craig Hayes, Miles Krieger, Christopher Moffitt, Sarah Monkton, Damian Northcutt, Ana Schwab and Alison Toivola have been selected to join the firm’s partnership effective Jan. 1, 2025. Additionally, the Partnership appointed Ruben Duran to the Executive Committee and re-elected Elizabeth Hull and Charity Schiller to serve another term.
“We are pleased to recognize and welcome nine distinguished individuals to the firm’s partnership,” said Garner. “They provide exceptional client service and are leaders in their areas of practice. BBK looks forward to their continued leadership and contributions.”
Shauna Amon is a member of BBK’s Labor & Employment Law practice group and assists her clients in the areas of advice and counsel, labor negotiations and bargaining as well as conducting personnel investigations. For personnel investigations, Shauna regularly conducts thorough, impartial and timely investigations for a variety of private and public agency clients, including K-12 school districts and post-secondary institutions, in the area of both personnel and student complaints. She routinely advises her clients in the areas of harassment and discrimination, medical leaves, and wage laws.
Patrick Donegan, a member of BBK’s Municipal Law practice group, serves as the city attorney for the cities of Hermosa Beach and Rolling Hills and provides legal counsel on all things local government, including the Brown Act, ethics and conflict of interest issues, the Coastal Act, and the California Environmental Quality Act. He also provides counsel on planning, housing, and Coastal Act issues to the cities of Malibu, Hawaiian Gardens and Laguna Beach.
Craig Hayes, a member of BBK’s Municipal Law practice group, is skilled in public works and infrastructure construction law. He advises public agencies and private clients on construction contracts, different types of project delivery methods, prevailing wage law, and dispute resolution, with significant experience in federally funded projects. Craig is also a city attorney for San Jacinto and general counsel for Valley Sanitary District and Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, providing legal guidance for public agency operations.
Miles Krieger, a member of BBK’s Environmental & Natural Resources Law practice group, concentrates on state and federal natural resource litigation with a focus on water disputes. He represents public agencies and private clients at both the judicial and administrative levels. Miles is deeply involved in complex issues related to the State Water Project, groundwater regulation under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, tribal water rights and taxation, and regulatory compliance for California water rights holders. He also has experience with water rights litigation and transactional matters in Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon.
Christopher Moffitt, a member of BBK’s Business Services and Labor & Employment practice groups, advises and represents clients in business, public agency, and labor and employment litigation. He has extensive experience in resolving complex disputes, including breach of contract, civil rights violations, and employment law matters such as discrimination and harassment, using both litigation and alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation and arbitration. Chris also defends public entities in cases involving eminent domain, regulatory enforcement, and municipal policy, including short-term housing ordinances and commercial cannabis permitting.
Sarah Monkton, a member of BBK’s Environmental & Natural Resources Law practice group, concentrates on federal Indian law and provides general and special counsel services, particularly to tribes, businesses, and public entities. She has extensive experience advising on governance, compliance, and risk management, with a focus on tribal sovereignty, contracts, and employment matters. Sarah also offers investigation services and training, drawing from her background as Chief of Enforcement for the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights.
Damian Northcutt, a member of BBK’s Municipal Law practice group, focuses on public entity defense and private disputes in civil, commercial, real estate, and contract law. He represents a range of public clients, including municipalities and regional organizations, handling all stages of litigation, mediation, and arbitration.
Ana Schwab is a member of BBK’s Environmental & Natural Resources Law practice group. She represents local communities, special districts, and stakeholders on matters related to water, wastewater, environmental and infrastructure issues, as well as natural disaster mitigation, response, and recovery. Ana draws on her years of experience in government, advocacy, and law to partner with clients to work with a variety of federal agencies and to secure federal funding opportunities. Ana tracks, advances, and guides the development of legislative and regulatory language to build solutions for clients through proactive and strategic engagement. She also operates across the nexus of legal, policy, funding, and regulatory processes to advance and protect clients’ goals.
Alison K. Toivola, a member of BBK’s Environmental & Natural Resources Law practice group, counsels her clients on water rights, water supply, and natural resources litigation. She represents a broad array of public, private, and tribal clients in matters involving the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, groundwater adjudications, the Endangered Species Act, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the Deschutes Basin, water quality, and all manner of surface and groundwater rights, transfers, certifications, protests, regulations, and litigation.
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