Jamilah A. Jefferson serves as a Supervising Deputy City Attorney in the General & Complex Litigation Division in both the affirmative and defensive litigation units, and previously worked in the Law & Motion, Writs and Appeals unit.  She has spent more than a decade in the City Attorney’s Office.  She litigates in state and federal court in both the trial and appellate courts.  Ms. Jefferson has assisted on a number of the City’s most complex and high profile matters, serving as a member of the in-house team on Delphine Allen v. City of Oakland (police oversight by federal court), the Warehouse Fire lawsuit, and Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal v. City of Oakland (protecting Oakland from coal shipping).  Ms. Jefferson has defended administrative and traditional writs, and California Public Records Act, employment discrimination, dangerous condition, and civil rights lawsuits.  During the last several years, Ms. Jefferson has defended the City in its homelessness litigation in state and federal court, and advised on a vast number of related policy issues.

Ms. Jefferson received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and graduated with honors from Stanford University, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy.  Ms. Jefferson began her legal career as a law clerk for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Maryland.  She worked as an Associate at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe and Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. Jamilah served as a Judicial Research Attorney for several years at the Alameda County Superior Court.  Ms. Jefferson remains active in community service as a member of the Stanford National Black Alumni Association, as well as the Stanford Black Alumni Association of Northern California.  In recognition of her years of service, she is honored to be a Stanford Associate.  Ms. Jefferson has also volunteered and served on the board of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Northern California.