TRACY, Calif. (CN) — Bijal Patel remains the city attorney for Tracy, California, after the mayor called an emergency meeting Monday amid news Patel's law license may have been temporarily suspended at some point this year.
Tracy is the second most populous city in California’s San Joaquin County, within the agricultural heart of Central Valley. Tracy Mayor Nancy Young said last week that City Attorney Bijal M. Patel’s license to practice law was suspended by the State Bar on July 1, and Patel may have been practicing and providing advice as city attorney without telling the City Council.
As of Monday, the State Bar website shows that Patel’s license to practice law is active again. The website shows that Patel was admitted in 1997. All attorneys practicing law have to complete legal education requirements every three years and file a report with the state bar. The deadline to do so for 2023 was in February.
Patel took over as the city’s attorney in April 2022, after serving as special counsel for Oakland’s city attorney’s office.
Young last week called for an emergency special meeting to review any work that Patel may have done while temporarily unlicensed and consider a resolution to ensure that a licensed attorney can take over city business.
Since Patel’s license was apparently inactive during July, her contract could be immediately terminated, and any legal matters she advised the city on may be investigated and lead to potential legal repercussions for practicing without a license.
“It was alarming to learn that Ms. Patel operated as our city attorney without a license,” Young said in a statement Thursday.
“Per her contract, the minute that she was ineligible to practice law, she became ineligible for employment with our city as our attorney," she added. "According to the California State Bar, a crime may have been committed given that she continued to sign contracts and perform city attorney duties even while unlicensed. Our city has been compromised by this situation."
More than 40 people attended the special meeting held Monday, and more than half of those attendees spoke on the issue of Patel’s ability to practice law.
Most speakers asked the City Council to enforce city rules and hold Patel accountable. Robert Bevins asked the council to file a complaint with the district attorney and request that charges be brought against Patel.
Attorney Steve Nicola said that attorneys cannot practice law without an active State Bar license. He said he filed a complaint with the Bar on Friday.
“We don’t need any more bad apples in the barrel, people that will drag down the reputation of our profession,” Nicola said.
Resident Robin Cole asked the city council: “If she did nothing wrong, why isn’t she here? ... She failed to renew her license. Signing city contracts without a license is kind of a big deal."
Several speakers, however, defended Patel, calling accusations against her both rash and racist.
Resident Tim Silva pointed out that Patel’s license is active as of Monday and the city needs more information before taking action.
“We are trying her and convicting her in the court of public opinion,” Silva said, referring to a recent city manager resignation. “We always jump the gun and come up with all of these accusations, before we know the facts.”
In response, Young told spectators that a local TV news station informed the city and the State Bar that Patel’s license had expired in July.
The rest of the meeting took place behind closed doors Monday. After several hours of deliberation, Todd Amspoker — serving as the city's outside counsel — said no reportable action was taken. Patel remains the city's attorney.
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