Michael R.W. Houston practices law with the law firm of Rutan & Tucker, LLP, in Costa Mesa, California.  He received his juris doctorate from the Vanderbilt University School of Law, where he served as a member of the executive board for the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law and as Chairman of the Vanderbilt chapter of the Federalist Society.His practice focuses on the areas of public law, election law, government ethics and real estate development.Michael presently serves as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of La Quinta, California.  He also represents numerous municipal agencies, special districts and developers in connection with development and land use entitlement.  His experience encompasses most aspects of the development process, from acquisition of property to financing, entitlement and build-out.  In this regard, he is well versed on the complex requirements of local zoning laws, the Subdivision Map Act, the state Development Agreement statute, the California Relocation Assistance Act, the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act.  California has a highly regulated development climate.  And often, the development process becomes extremely political.  Michael represents municipalities, developers and business entities in connection with California’s complex initiative and referendum processes and has drafted, defended and challenged initiatives and referendum petitions seeking to propose and rescind development project approvals.Additionally, Michael provides advice to candidates, consultants, business entities and PACs in connection with both federal and California election and campaign finance laws.  Michael serves as general counsel to Assemblywoman Audra Strickland as well as several state legislative candidates and state PACs.  He is also campaign/election law counsel to a Fortune 500 company.Michael has expertise in the field of government ethics and routinely advises local elected officials and state officeholders on the provisions of the Brown Act, the Keene-Bagley Act, the Political Reform Act’s conflict of interest provisions and the Government Code section 1090 prohibition on self-interested contracts.  In this regard, he has taught government ethics courses and has obtained numerous FPPC Advice Letters and participated in preparing requests for Attorney General Opinions.Michael is a member of the California Republican Party Central Committee and has been active in grass-roots Republican politics for over 13 years.  He has volunteered for over 75 political campaigns and serves as an advisor to several state legislators, a U.S. Representative, several trustees of local school boards and community college districts and one county supervisor.  Prior to practicing law, he was a special staff assistant to U.S. Representative Ed Royce in the 102nd Congress and was on campaign staff to Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle.  Michael served as the California Chairman and National Vice Chairman of Young Americans for Freedom between 1995 and 1997.  Currently, Mr. Houston is a state board member for the California Republican Lawyers’ Association.