City Attorney Salary

Every two years, the Public Ethics Commission (PEC or Commission) is responsible for adjusting the City Attorney salary based on criteria specified by City Charter Section 401(1).

Background

Oakland City Charter Section 401(1), as amended in 2022, requires the Commission to set the salary for the City Attorney every two years to "provide for competitive compensation and equitable alignment and, taking into account the top of the range for the highest paid professional employee in the Office of the City Attorney and salaries for other City department heads, and shall be comparable to the salaries of City Attorneys and other comparable positions, such as County Counsel or Port Attorney, in California cities, counties and agencies selected by the Commission. The City Attorney's salary may not be reduced during the City Attorney's term of office except as part of a general reduction of salaries of all officers and employees in the same amount or proportion.

The Commission last adjusted the salary for City Attorney by 4.6 percent in 2024, resulting in an adjusted annual salary of $320,958.84. Salary adjustments take effect on the first payroll period after the beginning of the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The table below shows salary increases approved by the Commission from 2023 through 2024.

City Attorney Salary History