Biography
As County Counsel, Sarah Carrillo oversees all aspects of the Tuolumne County Office of the County Counsel and serves as the chief legal advisor to the Board of Supervisors, the County Administrator, and other elected and appointed department heads within the County. Other assigned duties include representing and advising the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney, Office of Emergency Services, Human Resources/Risk Management, the Grand Jury, Special Districts, and the Health Department. She serves as the chief attorney for the County in civil actions instituted by or brought against these entities or persons when acting on behalf of the County. Ms. Carrillo oversees three Deputy County Counsels, one Executive Legal Assistant and one Attorney Assistant. She is responsible for preparing the Office’s budget.
In Ms. Carrillo’s current role, her practice areas are vast and include civil law such as probate, ethics, employment law, government contracting, public records, Brown Act issues, land use matters, constitutional rights matters, public health law, emergency services law, federal laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the ADA, and privacy laws.
Ms. Carrillo also has experience with appellate matters in both state and federal court. Ms. Carrillo has successfully argued before the 5th Appellate District Court of Appeals in several juvenile dependency matters. She also represents the County in various matters filed in the Federal Court system including trial and appellate cases.
Ms. Carrillo joined the Tuolumne County Counsel’s Office as a Deputy County Counsel in 2005. In March of 2013, she was appointed as County Counsel. Before her employment with Tuolumne County, Ms. Carrillo was in private practice in Amador, Calaveras and Stanislaus Counties. She practiced family law, civil litigation and business law.
A Tuolumne County native, Ms. Carrillo graduated from Sonora High School in 1995. She graduated with honors from California State University, Chico with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science in 2000. In 2003, Ms. Carrillo received her Juris Doctor Degree from University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar in December of that year.
Ms. Carrillo served as a Commissioner with the State Bar of California’s Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission (2018-2021). She currently serves as the Vice President of the County Counsel’s Association. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, taking her dogs on long walks, reading and baking.
