Merced Metropolis Lawyer Norton transferring on to job in Riverside — Merced County Occasions
Phaedra Norton, who joined Merced in October 2018 as City Attorney, was named Riverside City Attorney and oversees a staff of city attorneys who provide legal services to California’s 12th largest city.
She starts her new job on July 20th.
Phaedra Norton
Norton has over two decades of local law experience. At Riverside, she will oversee 39 employees, including 18 attorneys who are responsible for everything from routine legal affairs to handling all legal disputes and working with outside legal counsel hired by the city.
“As a growing city with its own utility company, Riverside often faces extremely complex problems,” said Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson. “We need smart and experienced legal counsel to resolve these issues and I am confident that Phaedra Norton is the right person to make sure we do this.”
Like Riverside, Merced operates under a charter that serves as the guiding document for the delivery of city services. Norton began her position with Merced in 2018 during Mayor Mike Murphy’s era after serving as an assistant city attorney in Stockton for about seven months. Previously, she served as the Turlock City Attorney for ten years.
At Merced, Norton worked on homeless issues, including the Homeless Court program and local voting actions, including: (2018) Measure Y – Cannabis Income; (2020) Measure K – 4-year term of the mayor; (2020) Measure L – City Council Scholarship Commission; (2020) Measure M – direct reporting from the finance officer to the city council.
She also served during a tumultuous period that included the firing of City Manager Steve Carrigan, local response to the Minnesota George Floyd assassination and Black Lives Matter movement, the censorship of the Fernando Echevarria City Council, and of course all legal matters that the city faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a state of emergency.
Her starting salary at Merced was $ 204,600. At Riverside, her salary will be $ 286,000.
Norton’s other work experiences include serving with the Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority; City of Newman; Stanislaus Regional Water Authority; Groundwater Sustainability Agency for West Turlock Groundwater; and the city of Modesto.
“Phaedra Norton has years of experience in charter cities like Riverside, so she is very aware of the opportunities and challenges facing California local government,” said Mayor Pro Tem Jim Perry. “Your utility experience will also be extremely valuable in helping Riverside Public Utilities.”
Norton received her AS degree from San Francisco City College and her Juris Doctor from Humphreys College.
“I’m excited to join the City of Riverside team,” said Norton. “I look forward to bringing the knowledge and experience I gained in the San Joaquin Valley to Southern California and contributing to the riverside community.”
