Chris Jensen, currently assistant city attorney in Berkeley, has been hired by the Palo Alto City Council as city attorney, replacing Molly Stump.
Jensen was Cupertino’s city attorney from 2021 until his resignation last year. Jensen was the city attorney during a turbulent time for that council, with a rotating door of top city employees and the city’s lengthy dispute with Sand Hill Property Company over the redevelopment of Vallco Mall.
Before working in Cupertino, Jensen was an assistant city attorney in Berkeley, where he worked on land-use issues, affordable housing and restrictions on natural gas in new construction.
Jensen defended the city’s natural gas ban in new construction in federal district court, successfully getting the California Restaurant Association’s lawsuit thrown out. However, the restaurant group appealed, and a federal appeals court ruled in 2023 against Berkeley. Jensen had left Berkeley when the appeals court issued its ruling.
Jensen has also worked for law firm Hanson Bridgett, which is often hired by cities for contract city attorneys. At Hanson Bridgett, he advised private and public sector clients on state and federal environmental laws, according to an online bio.
Jensen got his law degree from Stanford, has a master’s from MIT and received his bachelor’s from UC-San Diego.
If his employment is approved by council, he will get a base salary of $380,000 and will start work on March 30.
Jensen succeeds Molly Stump, who was the city’s attorney for 15 years. One of the city attorney’s main responsibilities is giving legal advice to Palo Alto City Council at meetings and behind closed doors.
Council hired recruiters Teri Black and Co. for $40,000 on Sept. 22 to lead the search for a new city attorney.
Jensen’s conduct was wildly out of line in Cupertino. He had clear favorites on the council and treated the others with disdain and disrespect. I especially remember his harsh and abrupt treatment of female councilmembers in particular. Cupertino has an excellent city attorney now. Good luck, Palo Alto.