News

COSTA MESA – Rutan & Tucker LLP was selected by the board of directors of the Orange County Water District on Wednesday night to be the district’s general counsel. Senior partner Joel Kuperberg will be the lead Rutan & Tucker attorney on the contract. Kuperberg also is city attorney for Irvine and La Palma and general counsel for the Serrano Water District. In addition to Kuperberg, partners David Cosgrove, Richard Montevideo and John Ramirez will provide their experience and expertise to the district, as will other attorneys at the firm on an as-needed basis. Rutan & Tucker provided legal services to the district for more than 50 years, until the board of directors determined to create an in-house legal counsel position in 1991. In fact, firm co-founder A.W. Rutan was instrumental in the formation of the Orange County Water District, having drafted the legislation that created it in the early 1930s. The district’s board of directors last year decided to again contract out its legal work, and a search process was undertaken. Rutan & Tucker was one of two finalists for the contract. “We’re very happy to once again be representing this district, which is so much a part of our firm’s and the area’s history,” said Jeff Oderman, the managing partner of Rutan & Tucker. “Now, we’re looking forward to moving with the district into the future.”