BBK’s Albert Maldonado Advances Public Service and Mentorship in the Inland Empire

Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) partner Albert J. Maldonado is helping strengthen Inland Empire communities through his work as a municipal attorney, nonprofit leader and mentor to aspiring legal professionals.

Maldonado was unanimously appointed San Bernardino’s city attorney by the mayor and City Council on July 15, 2026, after working directly with them for approximately 18 months. He has advised the city since 2018, when he began serving as deputy city attorney. His work includes assisting the city with the adoption of a certified housing element and the development of SB Hope Campus, a 200-bed navigation center for people experiencing homelessness.

A member of BBK’s Municipal Law and Special Districts practice groups, Maldonado advises public agencies on governance, land use, public contracts, transparency and ethics. He also serves as assistant town attorney for Apple Valley, assistant city attorney for Upland and general counsel to the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Recreation and Park District. In his work with the district, he helped complete the acceptance of a 123-acre land donation within six weeks, expanding opportunities for future recreational amenities and programs.

Raised in Rancho Cucamonga and now a San Bernardino resident, Maldonado brings strong regional ties to his community service. He is a co-founder, past president and advisory board member of the Hispanic Bar Association of the Inland Empire (HBAIE), established in 2019. The association raised more than $60,000 for the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum. BBK also supported the center’s opening by providing pro bono legal services.

Maldonado serves on the Ontario-Montclair School District Foundation board and previously served as its president. Through its Promise Scholars Program, the foundation helps students access higher education. The program has grown from awarding a single $10,000 scholarship to providing more than $100,000 annually to more than a dozen students. His additional board service includes West End Family Counseling, the San Bernardino Symphony and the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation.

Mentorship is another focus of Maldonado’s work. He helped develop BBK’s Law 101 Day, which introduces high school students to legal careers through practical exercises and direct interaction with attorneys. The program has traditionally partnered with Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes’ Young Senators Program, and its 2026 event took place in San Bernardino.

Maldonado has mentored dozens of prelaw students from California State University, San Bernardino; UC Riverside; the Claremont Colleges; and other local colleges and universities. Guided by his faith and the support he received throughout his education and career, he encourages students to pursue opportunities they might otherwise overlook.

Recently, he encouraged a college student to apply to a prospective student program at his alma mater, Harvard Divinity School. The student initially decided against applying because she would be studying abroad and assumed travel costs would be a barrier. With Maldonado’s encouragement, she applied and was accepted with all expenses paid.

He also shares his experience through speaking engagements for students, attorneys and public officials. His presentations have included a prelaw roundtable with California State University, San Bernardino, and HBAIE; UC Riverside’s Law Day; training for planning commissioners and municipal leaders; and the opening plenary session of the Hispanic National Bar Association’s 2026 Annual Conference.

Through his legal practice, community leadership and mentorship, Maldonado helps local institutions serve their communities while opening doors for the next generation.