Anastasia Bondarchuk joined RPLG as an associate this August, bringing a blend of private- and public-sector experience to the firm’s Government and Litigation practice groups.
“We’re so pleased to have Anastasia on our team as yet another resource for our clients,” said RPLG Founding Partner Art Hartinger. “Her background from her four years working at two top national law firms and her experience working with the City of Berkeley positions her well to advise and litigate on behalf of the agencies we serve.”
Anastasia, who has lived in the Bay Area for most of her life, received her undergraduate degree in political science and Russian from the University of California, Davis. While at Davis, she developed an interest in local government law and landed a job as a legal assistant at a law firm after graduating.
“I knew I wanted to be a lawyer since I was in high school. My experience right after college working with incredible mentors at that firm solidified my interest,” Anastasia said. “With their encouragement, I attended UC Hastings, where l studied and developed a passion for government law. My coursework and the practical experience I received working in the public sector was both fascinating and invigorating.”
While at UC Hastings, Anastasia worked for a federal judge and as a Lawyers for America Fellow with the City of Berkeley, where she spent her third year of law school and first year as an attorney. She gained experience in multiple practice areas in municipal law during her time at the Berkeley City Attorney’s Office. Her government work was central to solidifying her interest in public service.
Anastasia pivoted to private sector work for almost four years following her fellowship in Berkeley. She worked at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, where she developed her litigation, writing and oral advocacy skills.
This fall, she returned to public sector work at RPLG. Anastasia was drawn to RPLG by the opportunity to both advise the firm’s clients on a plethora of different areas of law while also getting to litigate employment-related matters and work on labor negotiations.
In the coming months, Anastasia is looking forward to helping RPLG’s public agency clients navigate the dynamic challenges they face. “I love being exposed to a wide variety of work, and I know I will be faced with a range of new legal issues every day at RPLG,” said Anastasia. “I am excited to learn from the leading experts in local government law about how to best meet the needs of our public agencies.”
RPLG practices throughout California, advising and advocating for public agencies, nonprofit entities, individuals and private entities in need of effective, responsive and creative legal solutions.