Jenica Maldonado

ABOUT JENICA MALDONADO

Jenica Maldonado has dedicated her professional life to public service, having started her career in government over twenty years ago. She is an experienced municipal law and employment attorney, equally comfortable litigating and providing advice and counsel. She aims, first and foremost, to be a strategic partner to colleagues and clients. Her experience in high-stakes matters gives her the confidence to shepherd clients through challenging situations and the perspective to navigate towards the best available outcome. Ms. Maldonado values the camaraderie that comes with practicing with dedicated attorneys and the trust that forms with one’s long-term clients. The Daily Journal, one of California’s largest legal periodicals, recognized Ms. Maldonado as a Top Labor & Employment Attorney in 2022.

RELATED EXPERIENCE

Ms. Maldonado joined the firm as Of Counsel in 2021. She was elected to Partner in 2022 and
appointed the Firm’s Co-Managing Partner in February 2023. Prior to joining Renne Public Law Group, Ms. Maldonado served as a Deputy City Attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office for almost seven years. During her tenure in the Office, she worked on the Ethics and Elections Team and the Labor Team.

LABOR TEAM

As a Deputy City Attorney on the Labor Team, Ms. Maldonado represented the City in employment litigation matters at the trial and appellate court levels. Her matters ranged from single plaintiff cases alleging discrimination or disability-related claims to large, multi-plaintiff lawsuits contesting promotional exams for alleged disparate impact based on race or age. In many matters acting as lead counsel for the City, Ms. Maldonado executed complex e-discovery plans, took and defended depositions, drafted and argued motions, including motions for summary judgment, and defended successful trial court outcomes before the court of appeal. She also represented the City in labor arbitrations and administrative proceedings, including before the California Public Employment Relations Board (“PERB”), the California Department of Labor Standards and Enforcement (“DLSE”), the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (“DFEH”), and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”).

Ms. Maldonado also served as the assigned advice attorney on labor and employment matters to various City departments, including the Public Defender, Department of Building Inspection, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, Board of Supervisors, and the Department of Public Health.

ETHICS & ELECTIONS TEAM

As a Deputy City Attorney on the Ethics and Elections Team, Ms. Maldonado advised the Department of Elections regarding local and state election laws and municipal law matters, including public records and open meeting laws. She prepared title and summaries for local initiative measures, drafted ballot questions, and prepared preliminary ballot digests and served as the ex officio member of the City’s Ballot Simplification Committee for the November 2019, March 2020, and November 2020 elections. She defended election contests in trial and appellate courts, including obtaining dismissals of challenges to a November 2019 affordable housing general obligation bond measure. Ms. Maldonado counseled the Ethics Commission and staff regarding local and state ethics laws, and advised commission staff regarding ethics enforcement matters. She provided guidance to elected officials, commissioners, and City employees regarding conflict of interest laws and conducted related trainings. Ms. Maldonado also drafted legislation and provided advice regarding the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Prior to advising the City, Ms. Maldonado was a labor and employment associate at Perkins Coie LLP and Hanson Bridgett LLP. During law school, she clerked for the Government Team at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office and externed for the Honorable Joyce Kennard of the Supreme Court of California. Prior to law school, she interned for Senator Dianne Feinstein in Washington. D.C., for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, and for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

Some of Ms. Maldonado’s representative legal matters include:

Denny v. Arntz – successfully defended City defendants in pre- and post-elections attempting to remove a $600 million local affordable housing bond measure from the ballot and subsequently invalidate the election result in favor of the measure based on allegedly flawed language in the voter materials. Obtained dismissal and final judgment in pre-election challenge. Obtained dismissal of post-election challenge and represented City defendants on appeal.

Daugherty v. CCSF – defended San Francisco Police Department following termination of officers after discovery of racist and other offensive text Managed voluminous evidence collection and production took and defended key depositions, and drafted motions. Following adverse trial court order, Court of Appeal issued published decision finding terminations did not violate the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act (“POBRA”).

Stockwell et al. v. CCSF; Stevenson v. CCSF; Johnson v. CCSF – defended San Francisco Police Department and San Francisco Fire Department in multi-plaintiff cases challenging promotional exams for alleged disparate impact based on age and race. Managed voluminous discovery productions, defended depositions, worked with experts on statistical analyses, and drafted motions, including opposition to class certification and motions for summary judgment.

Lai v. CCSF – defended San Francisco Fire Department’s reassignment of managers to new fire stations following finding that subordinate had suffered sexual harassment. Prevailed on anti-SLAPP motion. Developed and executed discovery plan to protect third party privacy interests during substantial discovery production.

Singson v. City of Millbrae – second-chaired a federal court jury trial regarding a City of Millbrae police officer’s First Amendment retaliation claim. Conducted voir dire and examined witnesses. Obtained unanimous defense verdict.

Professional Engineers in California Government v. Schwarzenegger – litigated consolidated action before the California Supreme Court, California Court of Appeal, and Alameda County Superior Court relating to California’s 2010-2011 budget impasse and the California Department of Personnel Administration’s implementation of the Governor’s furlough program.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Phi Beta Kappa
Bloomberg BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment
The Daily Journal selected Ms. Maldonado as a Top Labor and Employment Lawyer of 2022.

EDUCATION

University of San Francisco School of Law, JD, magna cum laude