For nearly 30 years, I’ve worked to help government – especially local government. Few recognize the unique importance of local government. When local government succeeds, communities thrive. It is the heart and soul of services provided to the public, especially the poor and middle class. Earlier in my career, I worked closely with former SF City Attorney Louise Renne, building a team of lawyers that became one of the most respected in the country. Now at Renne Public Law Group, an offshoot of the firm Louise and I founded in 2002, I am committed to bringing this solution-oriented approach to a wide range of client concerns, including labor and employment matters, workplace investigations, ADA facilities compliance, CEQA and land use, operational consulting, ethics, constitutional and civil rights law, and election law. My belief is simple: Law is only part of the solution. A great firm should offer practical solutions to help government achieve better management and policy. We need to stand against the hateful rhetoric about government now in common currency. What local governments accomplish proves the critical role of government. Believing in government means recognizing that it takes hard and sometimes painful work to make it effective. That’s the work that our clients do, and the work we try to support.Aside from our role in government, I’m proud of our work on behalf of nonprofits and minority communities. Our recent victory preserving affordable housing in the Western Addition on behalf of Third Baptist Church is one of the sweetest in my career. As our firm expands, we remain focused on providing exemplary service to our clients, while sharing the values of dignity, honesty, equality and public service.