Yvette M Abich Garcia
Yvette Abich Garcia is an accomplished attorney with extensive experience in municipal law. She currently serves as the in-house City Attorney for the City of Redlands, a role she has held since May 2022. Prior to this, Yvette spent over a decade as the in-house City Attorney for the City of Downey. Before her in-house role, Yvette worked in private practice as the contract City Attorney for the cities of Barstow and Commerce. She worked as senior counsel at Colantuono & Levin PC, where she advised multiple cities and redevelopment agencies on complex legal matters. Her early career began as an associate at Leal & Olivas, where she was litigator and provided counsel to several municipalities in the Los Angeles area.
A graduate of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Yvette earned her Juris Doctor after completing a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Political Science at Loyola Marymount University. Over the course of her career, she has served in a variety of municipal legal capacities, including Planning Commission Counsel, General Counsel to redevelopment agencies and special districts, and Assistant City Attorney for several Southern California cities, gaining a breadth of expertise in government law and municipal operations.
Known for her dedication to public service, Yvette has built a reputation for providing strategic, practical, and ethical legal guidance to city leadership. Her work spans policy development, regulatory compliance, and risk management, helping municipalities navigate complex legal landscapes while serving the needs of their communities.
• State Bar of California
• Loyola Marymount University- B.A.
• Loyola Law School, Los Angeles- J.D.
• Rising Star 2004-2007
• MABA "Amazing Woman" 2003
• California Lawyers Association (Public Law Section)
• San Bernardino Hispanic Bar Association
• State Bar of California Executive Committee of Public Law Section (2010-11)
• League of California Cities Legal Advocacy Committee (2007-08)
• Chair, ICRMA Claims Committee (2016-22)
• YMCA of the East Valley
• Loyola Marymount University
What do you attribute your success to?
My success is attributable to three things:
1) Strong problem-solving skills and finding creative legal solutions "outside of the box" to achieve a client's objective.
2) Timely response to a client's needs and always meeting deadlines.
3) Open communication with the client.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Always make decisions which are in the best interest of the City and its residents, and you will always make the right decision.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find a mentor(s) to learn from. Not everything you need to know about being a strong city attorney can be found in books.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Finding unique solutions to the most complex problems faced by residents of a local community.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are serving the public and making the community a better place to live, work and play.