San Francisco City Attorney’s Office Accounts for Five of Eleven Selections From Public Law Offices in Government/Municipal Category
SAN FRANCISCO (July 31, 2006)-The newly published edition of Northern California “Super Lawyers,” an annual publication from Law & Politics and the publishers of San Francisco magazine, has named five top lawyers from the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office for the honor this year-by far the largest number so recognized from a single public law office for 2006.
Recognized among this year’s “Super Lawyers” are City Attorney Dennis J. Herrera, Chief Assistant City Attorney Jesse C. Smith, Chief Deputy City Attorney Therese M. Stewart, Chief Trial Deputy Joanne M. Hoeper, and Government Team Chief Burk E. Delventhal.
“I’m honored to be named among this year’s ‘Super Lawyers,’ but I’m frankly far more proud to lead an office that so clearly stands out among public law offices in California,” said Herrera. “I appreciate the recognition from our colleagues in the legal community, and I’m gratified to know that San Franciscans are well served by all the talented and dedicated deputy city attorney’s in my office. From my perspective, they’re all ‘Super Lawyers.””
Among 59 “Super Lawyers” in the Government/Cities/Municipalities category, selections from public law offices account for eleven, of which nearly half hail from the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. Other public lawyers named in the category include: California Attorney General Bill Lockyer; Oakland City Attorney John A. Russo; Alameda County Counsel Richard E. Winnie; Randolph W. Hall from the Oakland City Attorney’s Office; Marian M. Johnston from the State of California’s Office of Legislative Counsel; and California Department of Water Resources Chief Deputy Director Nancy J. Saracino. The full listing is available online at https://www.superlawyers.com/.
Law & Politics magazine’s selection of “Super Lawyers” for 2006 began with the mailing of some 47,000 ballots to active lawyers in Northern California, seeking nominations for the “best lawyers they’ve personally observed in action.” Attorneys may not vote for themselves, and numerous safeguards are in place to prevent ballot manipulation. Following balloting and research, a blue ribbon panel of “preeminent peers” in a variety of practice areas makes selections. According to the publication, “From the pool of candidates, only 5 percent of Northern California attorneys are selected as Northern California Super Lawyers.”
About the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is an elective office charged with representing the City and County of San Francisco in all civil legal matters, and serving as legal counsel to the more than 100 officials, departments, boards and commissions that comprise San Francisco’s municipal government. Led by City Attorney Dennis Herrera since January 2002, the office has won praise as “one of the most aggressive and talented city law departments in the nation” by American Lawyer magazine, and been described by the Los Angeles Times as “an unconventional public law office that has earned a nationwide reputation for its aggressive legal tactics.” For more information on the office and its work, please visit the City Attorney’s Web site at https://www.sfgov.org/cityattorney/ or contact the City Attorney’s communications office at (415) 554-4710.