Doug Sloan, an avid bicyclist, has returned to Fresno after three years serving as Santa Monica city attorney. Photo via Fresno County

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved Doug Sloan as county counsel. His first official day will be Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Sloan is no stranger to the Valley. While he comes to Fresno County after three years serving as the city attorney for Santa Monica, before that he spent nine years as the city attorney for Fresno and seven years as assistant city attorney.

Sloan left the City of Fresno in 2022 after then-Councilmember Garry Bredefeld made allegations that City Councilmember Nelson Esparza attempted to extort Sloan by threatening his job unless he agreed to work strictly for the council majority.

Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp even filed a corruption-related charge against Esparaza that was later dismissed.

Prior to his tenure at the City of Fresno, Sloan served 19 years as a trial lawyer in private practice in Missouri, where he grew up, as well as Kansas and California, where he tried more than three dozen jury cases and argued in many state and federal appellate courts.

He lives in Fresno with his wife Janet with two boys, ages 23 and 21, who are attending Fresno State.

Sloan is an avid bicyclist, riding 1,657 miles from Canada to Mexico solo in 2001.

“I’m grateful to the Board of Supervisors for this opportunity to return home and work with some great people at the County,” Sloan said in a statement.