Anthony picture

Anthony Taylor

Equity Partner

Inland Empire

t: (951) 241-7338

d: (949) 250-5427

e: ataylor@awattorneys.com

VCard

Bio

Anthony R. Taylor is an equity partner of the Firm. Mr. Taylor previously served as the co-chair of the Firm’s litigation group and as general counsel to the Firm.

Mr. Taylor’s litigation experience includes arguing matters before the California Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and California Court of Appeal, including numerous published decisions since 2001. Additionally, Mr. Taylor has handled numerous jury and bench trials.

Mr. Taylor has handled business litigation matters, including prevailing in a four-week jury trial for the defense of a hotel in a multi-million dollar real estate dispute.

Mr. Taylor has handled plaintiff professional negligence matters and he has obtained multi-million dollar recoveries.

Litigation Decisions:

 

  • Adventure Church, Inc. v. City of Fresno (2024) Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District, Case No. F086428 (upholding trial court’s ruling granting City’s anti-SLAPP motion in a land use dispute).

  • In 2021, Mr. Taylor prevailed for the City of Fresno as the lead litigation counsel in a published Court of Appeal decision concerning a project challenger who sued the City over a city issued land use permit and this published case clarified the legal requirements for the exhaustion of administrative remedies defense. (Muskan Food & Fuel, Inc. v. City of Fresno (2021) 69 Cal.App.5th 372).

  • Mr. Taylor filed an amicus brief for State Water Contractors in Coachella Valley Water District v. Superior Court (Roberts) (2021) 61 Cal.App.5th 755, which held that a challenge to a county water district’s ad valorem property tax must be brought within the 60-day statute of limitations set forth in Code of Civil Procedure section 860.

  • Granville Homes, Inc. v. City of Fresno (2020) Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District Case No. F077870 (upholding city’s water capacity fee against challenge brought under Proposition 218 and CEQA).

  • Downtown Fresno Coalition v. City of Fresno (2016) Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District Case No. F070845 (rejecting petitioner’s challenge under CEQA and upholding the City’s project EIR for $18 Million project for the removal of a pedestrian mall and construction of a main street in downtown Fresno)

  • City of Bell v. Superior Court (2013) 220 Cal.App.4th 236 (upholding city’s determination that its former city manager’s employment contract did not require the city to indemnify and defend its former city manager from criminal charges and civil litigation against him by the city)

  • People ex rel. Harris v. Rizzo (2013) 214 Cal.App.4th 921 (upholding the application of conflict of interest laws to protect the City of Bell during its recovery efforts from its corruption scandal)

  • Carson Coalition for Healthy Families v. City of Carson (2007) Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District Case No. B194923 (rejecting CEQA challenge and upholding City’s EIR for a 168-acre mixed use development project)

  • Carson Redevelopment Agency v. Padilla (2006) 140 Cal.App.4th 1323 (upholding the application of Government Code section 1090 conflict of interest laws involving a public agency contract)

  • Carson Gardens, LLC v. City of Carson Mobilehome Park Rental Review Board (2006) 135 Cal.App.4th 856 (requiring remand to a rent review commission if a trial court finds that a mobile home park owner could receive a greater rent increase than the amount approved by a rent review commission)

  • Nicolopulos v. City of Lawndale (2001) 91 Cal.App.4th 1221 (application of quo warranto to the removal of an elected city clerk for lack of residency in the city)

  • Counsel, City of Pasadena Community Police Oversight Commission 

  • City Attorney, Suisun City(2011 - 2021)

  • City Attorney, Cypress (2014 - 2020)

  • City Attorney, South El Monte (2019 - 2024)

  • State Bar of California

  • US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

  • US District Court, Central District of California

  • US District Court, Eastern District of California

  • US District Court, Southern District of California

Mr. Taylor was named a 2015 California Lawyer Magazine Attorney of the Year in the category of Municipal Law (along with Founding Partner, David Aleshire of the Firm).  

Mr. Taylor currently serves as a board member of the Beckman High School Lacrosse Booster Board. 

Seminars presented:

• Numerous presentations between 2015 and 2017 concerning lessons learned litigating the City of Bell corruption scandal including at Chapman University and seminars presented in Vancouver, Canada, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Costa Mesa, California

• Government Lawyer Ethics Presentation, NBI (2017)

• Litigation Skills For Professionals, Lorman (2012 - 2014)

  • Orange County Bar Association

  • Riverside County Bar Association

  • University of Southern California, JD, 2000

  • University of Southern California, BS, 1997, Summa Cum Laude, Class Valedictorian of the School of Public Administration