City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: Human Resources
Meeting Date: March 16, 2026
Report #:2603-6090
TITLE
Approval of an Employment Agreement and Adoption of a Resolution Appointing Christopher Jensen as City Attorney at an Annual Salary of $380,000.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve an employment agreement and adopt a resolution appointing Christopher Jensen to the position of City Attorney at an annual salary of $380,000, with additional compensation and benefits as provided in the employment agreement and applicable City compensation plan.
BACKGROUND
The City Council appoints the City’s four Council-Appointed Officers. The appointment of the City Attorney is brought to Council as an action item consistent with the Ralph M. Brown Act.
The City Attorney’s duties are established by the City Charter and Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) section 2.08.120. Key duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
Advising the City Council, City Manager, boards, commissions, and City officers and departments on legal matters;
Drafting ordinances, resolutions, agreements, and contracts to be made or entered into by the City, and approving the form of such instruments; and Prosecuting violations of City ordinances and representing the City in legal actions.
The prior City Attorney, Molly Stump, retired in January 2026 after 14 years of service. On September 9, 20251, the Council-Appointed Officer (CAO) Committee initiated the recruitment process for the next City Attorney. The CAO Committee reviewed three proposals for executive recruitment services and invited all firms to interview. On September 22, 20252, the CAO Committee interviewed two firms and selected Teri Black & Company to lead the recruitment. 1 Council Appointed Officers Committee, September 9, 2025; Report #2508-5124:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=17948 2 Council Appointed Officers Committee, September 22, 2025, Report # 2509-5201:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=18033
The Council on October 6, 2025, received and approved the Council Appointed Officer committee recommendations.
ANALYSIS
Consistent with the CAO Committee direction and City Council action, Teri Black & Company conducted one-on-one stakeholder meetings with the prior City Attorney, the City Manager, and each Council Member to gather input on recruitment materials, desired qualifications, and the recruitment process.
Teri Black & Company then conducted a national recruitment over approximately five weeks.
The recruitment closed on December 14, 2025. As provided in the scope of work, Teri Black & Company conducted supplemental screening interviews of highly qualified applicants and presented the recommended candidate pool to the City Council in closed session on January 15, 2026.
Finalists were invited to interview with the City Council on January 31 and February 1, 2026.
Following the interview process, the City Council selected Christopher Jensen as the preferred candidate. Mr. Jensen accepted a conditional offer of employment, subject to City Council approval of the employment agreement and adoption of the resolution of appointment in open session.
Mr. Jensen currently serves as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Berkeley and has served a cumulative tenure of three years with the City of Berkeley. Mr. Jensen has 20 years of legal experience, including four years serving as City Attorney for the City of Cupertino, where he led resolution of a long-standing dispute with a local developer that resulted in projected payments of approximately $40 million, and negotiated a settlement with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration that the City of Cupertino estimated avoided approximately $75 million in liability.
In Berkeley, Mr. Jensen was closely involved in the City’s natural gas restriction ordinance, including leading the City’s legal defense of the ordinance in federal court. In private practice, he focused on land use, environmental, and government law at several Bay Area firms, most recently as a Partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP.
Mr. Jensen earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Stanford Law School, graduating with distinction and as a member of the Order of the Coif. Mr. Jensen also holds a Master of Science (S.M.) in Atmospheric Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Environmental Chemistry from the University of California, San Diego, graduating with highest honors.
Mr. Jensen will start employment with the City of Palo Alto on Monday, March 30, 2026.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The City Attorney position is budgeted within the City Attorney’s Office and is included in the FY 2026 Adopted Budget. If appointed, Mr. Jensen will be paid an annual salary of $380,000 and will receive additional compensation and benefits as provided in the Management and Professional Employees Compensation Plan, as applicable, and the attached employment agreement including a 401(a)-retirement plan account annual contribution of $20,000.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The CAO Committee and City Council engaged in a public discussion of this item on various dates on CAO Committee and Council agenda meeting dates between September 9, 2025 to February 1, 2026. The employment agreement will be posted on the City Human Resources Department website after City Council approval.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: City Attorney Agreement – Jensen
Attachment B: Resolution Appointing Christopher Jensen
APPROVED BY:
Sandra Blanch, Human Resources Director