Allison specializes in municipal law and assists public agencies with a variety of legal issues. Her work encompasses public water supply, environmental compliance, public contracting, solid waste management, rate structure, issuer's counsel, disclosure matters, legislative drafting and open government and ethics.

Allison serves as general counsel to the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA), a special district formed by special legislation drafted by Hanson Bridgett attorneys, which represents the interests of 24 cities and water districts, and two private utilities, that purchase water wholesale from the San Francisco regional water system. Allison recently served as Issuer's Counsel to BAWSCA's inaugural issuance of $336 million in both taxable and tax-exempt bonds to finance the prepayment of capital debt owed to the City and County of San Francisco. 

Allison has developed special expertise in implementing recycled water projects. Allison assisted the City of Redwood City in its approval, construction, and determining of new rates and charges for the first large-scale recycled water project in San Mateo County. Allison continues to serve as special counsel to cities and special districts for all matters related to public water systems. 

Allison also has significant experience with resource recovery and waste reduction projects and solid waste franchise agreements. She serves as special counsel to cities that own their own materials recovery and compositing facilities and special districts and cities that contract out for collection, composting and disposal services. 

Allison is past chair of the firm's pro bono committee and is a member of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Bar Admissions

• California
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Education
J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, University of California, Hastings College of the Law (2000)
M.P.P., Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government (1997)
A.B., Dartmouth College (1991)

Professional Associations

• Bay Area Council, Water Policy Committee
• California WateReuse Association, Legislative/Regulatory Committee
• California Resource Recovery Association
• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights
• Marin County Bar Association
• Bar Association of San Francisco
• State Bar of California
• Queen's Bench Bar Association

Professional Activities and Experience
Accolades

• Forty Under 40, North Bay Business Journal (2009)
• James T. Caleshu Award, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights (2009)

"California’s Variable Water Supply Needs More Than Rainfall," co-author, Bloomberg Law (February 2022)
"Top Ten Recommendations for Virtual Brown Act Meetings," co-author, Government Law Alert (July 2020)
"California Water Action Plan Finalized Amidst Historic Drought Conditions," co-author, Water Law Alert (February 2014)