Thursday, November 6, 2014
Page 3
State Senator-Elect Hertzberg to Join Glaser Weil as Of Counsel
By a MetNews Staff Writer
State Sen.-Elect Bob Hertzberg and the law firm Glaser Weil said yesterday that the former Assembly speaker and mayoral candidate will be joining the firm as of counsel in its Government and Regulatory Law Practice Group.
Hertzberg, who won election to the state’s upper chamber Tuesday as expected, said he accepted the 100-lawyer firm’s offer to practice law while devoting most of his attention to legislative matters because “I love the challenge of the law.”
He explained to the MetNews that the need to avoid conflicts of interest made it impractical to remain at Mayer Brown, LLP, where he has been a partner for the past 12 years. Mayer Brown is closely involved with all sorts of issues that come before the Legislature or state agencies, he explained, while Glaser Weil is more of a “regional firm” whose government practice includes many issues involving local or out-of-state agencies and international clients.
He said he intends to take a “strict, conservative” approach to avoid handling any business that might come before the Legislature or a state agency. And because he will be of counsel, he said, he will not have a financial interest in any of the firm’s state-related business.
Mayer Brown partner-in-charge Phil Recht said in a statement that Hertzberg has been an “outstanding partner” there and that the firm understood his need to leave now that he is joining the Senate.
Another reason for choosing to work for Glaser Weil, Hertzberg said, is a chance to work with “top notch” attorneys, including managing partner Peter Weil, name partner Patricia Glaser, and Tim McOsker, a former Los Angeles chief deputy city attorney who-along with former Beverly Hills Mayor Tom Levyn—heads the practice group he will be joining.
McOsker spent several years at Mayer Brown before joining Glaser Weil, Hertzberg noted. He said they were adversaries who became friends, as Hertzberg ran for mayor against McOsker’s former boss, ex-Mayor James K. Hahn, to whom McOsker served as chief of staff.
“Glaser Weil is always looking for top notch talent and expertise in a variety of fields and Bob represents the best in both of these areas,” McOsker said in a statement. “No one can deny his passion for the issues set before him and we are excited to have a man of his integrity and ability join us as an integral part of our team.”
Hertzberg, who worked at the Jeffer Mangels firm before joining Mayer Brown,
Has served on the Board of The Public Policy Institute of California and as chairman, twice, of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation. He currently is a member of the board at USC’s Price School of Public Policy and Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy.
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