Mike Houston brings nearly 25 years of seasoned expertise to the table, having served in chief legal and executive roles for some of the nation’s largest private companies and government agencies. His extensive experience spans land development, real estate transactions, economic development, business transactions, municipal law, government ethics and transparency, government grant and procurement requirements, and corporate/public agency governance.
 

Mike is focused on serving businesses and government agencies in Western Colorado and California that need strategic counsel, executive guidance, and technical legal expertise to help navigate complex legal challenges. As the in-house general counsel of a publicly traded real estate and agribusiness company, Mike understands the importance of responsiveness, technical skill, and cost-effective delivery of legal services.
 

Mike’s leadership includes serving as:

• Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Tejon Ranch Co., a publicly traded real estate development and agribusiness company.  Mike has held this position since 2023, after previously serving in this role from 2016-2021.

• Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Legal Services for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization/council of governments.

• City Attorney of Anaheim, California.  Mike led a 31-member team of lawyers and professional staff in providing legal services to the city.
   

Throughout his career, Mike has successfully implemented significant land development, commercial transactions, and local governmental programs, such as:

• Redeveloping downtown San Diego with Petco Park and related ancillary residential/commercial uses

• Crafting and successfully defending in litigation $300 million in lease-revenue bonds to expand the West Coast’s largest convention center

• Overseeing leasing activity and financing for a major outlet mall

• Providing legal advice in connection with a $160 million credit facility

• Developing and successfully defending in litigation economic development programs totaling over $2 billion for the City of Anaheim, including implementation of hotel “bed tax” and theme park incentive programs

• Resolving litigation challenging the City of Anaheim's electoral system and developing a “by-district” council system that is still in use today

• Leading the legal function and defending the entitlement of 19,000 residential units and 10 million square feet of commercial/industrial use in Los Angeles County

• Drafting legal documentation to deliver $237 million in grant funds for local agencies to accelerate state transportation, housing and climate goals

Mike is admitted to practice law in California and Colorado and is a member of the United States Supreme Court bar. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University School of Law and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Chapman University. Mike currently resides in Montrose, Colorado.