SAN FRANCISCO — An Oakland jury deliberated only 40 minutes before deciding Monday that the city of Oakland and former Mayor Ron Dellums did not fire a city administrator in 2008 because she is a woman.

The city, which was represented by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe partner Robert Shwarts, said Dellums fired Deborah Edgerly for causing a major distraction in City Hall when she alerted her nephew to a police investigation of gang members.