San Jose mayor announces new city attorney appointment

Nora Frimann was appointed as San Jose’s new city attorney, Mayor Sam Liccardo announced Tuesday.

As the city’s second female city attorney, Frimann previously served in an interim role following the retirement of former City Attorney Rick Doyle, who recently died.

Frimann joined the City Attorney’s Office in 2001 under Doyle’s leadership. She served the role as assistant city attorney, responsible for litigation and related matters, before being appointed interim city attorney.

Additionally, Frimann is the office’s representative to the League of California Cities Legal Advocacy Committee, a member of the executive committee of the William A. Ingram Inn of Court, and has served on various Santa Clara County Bar Association and federal court committees.

Further, prior to joining the city of San Jose, Frimann was a shareholder with Hoge Fenton, a major law firm based in San Jose, where she was one of the first women selected to be a managing shareholder at a premier law firm in California.

Frimann is a 2015 recipient of the Santa Clara County Bar Association’s Professional Attorney of the Year award, and continues to teach and judge mock trials and trial practice classes at Santa Clara University and Stanford University Law Schools.

Frimann said:

“I am honored to have been selected to serve San Jose as City Attorney. The City Attorney’s office will do our best to continue providing excellent legal services to meet the high standards set by Rick Doyle. I look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor and City council to serve the residents of San Jose.”

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said:

“Over the 19 years of Nora’s dedicated service to the city and leadership in the office, she’s never wavered from doing what is best for the people of San Jose. She will continue to lead San Jose’s legal team with tremendous competence, passion, and professionalism, and I look forward to working with her in her new role.”