2009 March 31 – Robert M. Hertzberg, a partner in the Los Angeles office of leading global law firm Mayer Brown, has been elected to serve as co-chair of California Forward, a bipartisan, non-profit entity that promotes state government reform. Hertzberg was elected to the post by unanimous vote of California Forward’s Leadership Council and replaces former co-chair Leon E. Panetta, who recently was tapped by President Obama to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

“I have watched California Forward’s work for the past year and am honored to work alongside public, business and regional leaders who care deeply about California’s future and have devoted their lives to helping its government institutions keep pace with a changing state,” Mr. Hertzberg said. “Californians are known for their imagination, creativity, innovation and boundless energy—and our challenge is to recreate a governance system that matches our people. It was done once and we can do it again.”

Mr. Hertzberg has dedicated more than 15 years to public service in California.  He served as the California State Assemblyman representing the 40th District from 1996-2002 and was the Speaker of the California State Assembly from 2000-2002.  He chaired the transition team for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and served on the transition team for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is also a founding member of the Leadership Council of the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) and serves on the Board of Counselors for the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning and Development.  Mr. Hertzberg was named as “one of the most influential people in Southern California” by the Los Angeles Times.

“We are very proud of Bob and his new role as co-chair of California Forward,” said Mayer Brown Chairman James D. Holzhauer. “His unanimous election to the committee demonstratesthe high regard that his peers in both government and the private sector have for him and his proven ability to bring parties together to work toward practical solutions and necessary reform to overcome the many challenges California currently faces.”

Earlier this year, Mayer Brown named Mr. Hertzberg Vice-Chairman of a five-member executive committee, alongside his longtime friend and mentor, former US Trade Representative and former Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor, to provide management oversight and strategic direction for the firm’s Los Angeles office.  Mr. Hertzberg is a partner in the firm’s Government & Global Trade practice and advises foreign and domestic companies with  business interests in California and throughout the United States in the areas of climate change, water and Indian related issues, as well as the telecom and real estate industries.

Mr. Hertzberg graduated magna cum laude from The University of Redlands (1976) and received his JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1979).