Belmont Appoints First-Ever In-House Attorney

Scott M. Rennie will show up for work on Monday at his new office in Belmont City Hall. He will be the first legal counsel in the City’s history to have the title “In-House City Attorney.”

On Thursday, Mayor Coralin Feierbach announced the appointment of Rennie, which will take effect Oct. 3. “I was particularly impressed with the range and depth of his experience,” Feierbach commented.

The City of Belmont has long been contracting out city attorney services. The City Council voted earlier this year to hire its first in-house counsel.

Rennie comes to Belmont from Fremont where he served as the senior deputy attorney from 2002-2007. Prior to that, he worked for the City and County of San Francisco City Attorney’s Office as deputy city attorney for its trial and code enforcement teams. As a private sector lawyer, Rennie worked in a government contracts practice group.

The new city attorney brings a wide range of expertise in municipal law, including police, fire, planning and code enforcement. He is also known as an expert in .

Rennie currently serves as a planning commissioner for the City of San Leandro, where he resides, and as a public service volunteer for the Alameda County courts.  

Rennie’s civic involvement impressed the mayor.

“The fact that he serves as a planning commissioner for his city shows his involvement in the community,” Feierbach said.

“I am elated that the City Council has chosen to bestow on me the honor and privilege of being Belmont’s first in-house city attorney. I eagerly await getting started and serving the Council, staff and the citizens of Belmont,” said Rennie upon his appointment.