On June 5, our 2023 class of Renne Public Law Group (RPLG) fellows completed their public law programming, which encompassed 10 days of engaging speaker sessions, research projects and valuable mentorship opportunities. 

“This year’s class of fellows exhibited remarkable preparation and a strong commitment to public service,” said RPLG Founding Partner Jon Holtzman. “We were honored to provide them with the opportunity to connect with some of the most esteemed figures of the public law arena; it’s clear that people throughout the industry are wholeheartedly devoted to equipping the next generation of attorneys with lessons and tools for success.”

The fourth annual RPLG Public Law Fellowship was held remotely from May 22 to June 5. The curriculum featured presentations and moderated discussions among renowned industry leaders and distinguished attorneys. The speaker lineup included:

  • Willie L. Brown Jr, Former Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco
  • Ann Ravel, Former Federal Election Commission Chair
  • Randi Johl, Legislative Director/City Clerk for the City of Temecula and Executive Director of the City’s Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Commission
  • Doug Sloan, Santa Monica City Attorney
  • Dennis Aftergut, Former Federal Prosecutor and Chief Assistant City Attorney of San Francisco
  • George Gascón, Los Angeles County District Attorney and Former District Attorney of San Francisco
  • Hydee Feldstein Soto, Los Angeles City Attorney
  • Brian Washington, Marin County Counsel
  • Alex Holtzman, San Francisco Deputy City Attorney
  • Tyrone Jue, Director of San Francisco’s Environment Department
  • Phil Fine, Executive Officer of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
  • Karen Pinkos, El Cerrito City Manager Karen Pinkos
  • Sam Liccardo, Former Mayor of San Jose
  • Dee Williams-Ridley, Berkeley City Manager
  • Bevan Dufty, BART Board of Directors Member and Former Director of HOPE (Housing Opportunity, Partnerships and Engagement)
  • Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
  • David Winnacker, Fire Chief at Moraga-Orinda Fire District
  • Masa Shiohira, Lead Deputy County Counsel at the County of Santa Clara
  • Ardis Graham, Employee Relations Director at the City and County of San Francisco
  • Kristin Hardy, Vice President of Services Employees International United (SEIU) 1021

Outside of the speaker sessions, the fellows worked alongside their mentors to dive into a research project. Each project was focused on making the world a better place on the local level, and final presentations were completed by fellows Alanna McNaughton, Mohammed Al-Shawaf, Ray Lu, Tabitha Leonards and Tom Flynn.

Beyond the speaker series and research projects, the RPLG team selected a designated mentor for each fellow. RPLG’s experienced attorneys provided personalized guidance and targeted feedback to each fellow throughout the program. In addition to developing meaningful relationships with RPLG attorneys, program participants had opportunities to network with other fellows and learn from their experiences.

“Each year, it’s always inspiring to learn about and learn from our class of public law fellows,” said RPLG Founding Partner Art Hartinger. “We are grateful that the firm is able to facilitate connections between industry leaders and law students. I’m excited to continue to connect with this class of fellows as they progress in their careers.”