In administrative writ proceedings, the administrative record is the foundation for the court’s review. Public agencies begin shaping that record long before any petition is filed, through staff reports, consultant work, public comments, internal communications, and the way hearings are noticed and conducted. This webinar is intended for everyone involved in that front-end process, including city managers and department leadership, clerks and staff who manage agenda and hearing materials, and the public officials who serve as the decision-makers.

The session will share best practices for making a writ-ready administrative record. Topics include how to build a defensible decision, including clear findings and references to evidence relied upon; how to run hearings in a way that supports exhaustion defenses and reduces fair-hearing challenges; and how to prevent avoidable record disputes that arise from substantive staff emails, drafts, consultant interactions, and modern communications, such as text messages.

The webinar will also address privilege and confidentiality issues that can complicate record disputes, including working with consultants in a way that supports attorney-client and work-product protection, avoiding waiver, and protecting official-information and deliberative-process information, while keeping the agency’s decision thorough and defensible.

^{This activity has been approved for minimum continuing legal education by the State Bar of California in the amount of 1 hour of General Participatory credit. Best Best & Krieger LLP certifies that this activity conforms to the standards of approved educational activities prescribed by the rules and regulations of the State Bar of California governing minimum continuing legal education. Best Best & Krieger LLP is a State Bar of California Approved Provider, #1035.}