[NYTr] LA Mayor Hires Public Interesst Lawyer as Policy Adviser

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by rick kissell


Los Angeles Times - Aug 27, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mayor28aug28,1,224184.story?coll=la-headlines-california&ctrack=1&cset=true 


Mayor hires activist as policy adviser

Dan Grunfeld, one of L.A.'s top public interest lawyers, 
will coordinate Villaraigosa's agenda.

By David Zahniser
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced today he had hired as 
his No. 2 policy adviser one of the city's top public interest lawyers 
-- an attorney who spent nearly a decade advocating on behalf of 
immigrants, low income neighborhoods and homeless residents in need of 
legal representation.

Villaraigosa's deputy chief of staff will be Dan Grunfeld, president and 
chief executive of Public Counsel, the largest organization in the 
United States that provides legal aid to the poor and disenfranchised.

Grunfeld, who will coordinate Villaraigosa's policy agenda, has never 
worked for a government agency. Still, the Beverlywood resident said he 
had a background in policy, having teamed up with Los Angeles County 
Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley to fight elder abuse and having sued Kaiser 
Permanente over the alleged dumping of homeless patients on skid row.

"Part of my job has been sitting down on a regular basis with city and 
county officials to deal with some of the most complex issues facing our 
community," he said.

Grunfeld, 47, replaces Marcus Allen, whose departure two months ago was 
considered by many at City Hall to be a serious loss for Villaraigosa's 
administration. Allen, who came to Villaraigosa's office after working 
for City Controller Laura Chick, was an experienced hand in local 
government who pushed for ways to make city departments more effective.

Grunfeld, the son of a diplomat, was born in Jerusalem and split his 
time between Tel Aviv and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while growing up.

Public Counsel has a $7-million budget and provides $66 million in legal 
representation each year. With 3,600 volunteer lawyers, the group helps 
low income communities form nonprofits and nonprofit developers who want 
to build affordable housing.

"He has spent his career advocating on behalf of communities," said 
Villaraigosa spokesman Matt Szabo. "He did as an attorney on one side, 
and he'll do it as a policy advisor on the other."

Grunfeld will report to Villaraigosa's chief of staff, Robin Kramer, who 
had worked in a similar position for former Mayor Richard Riordan. The 
other deputy chief of staff in Villaraigosa's office is Jimmy Blackman, 
who focuses on external issues, such as the mayor's relationships with 
politicians and government agencies.

Villaraigosa's hire drew praise from attorney Wayne Barsky, the vice 
chairman of Public Counsel's board of directors, who said Grunfeld had 
been passionate about such issues as homelessness, child care, adoption 
and the operation of health clinics in low income neighborhoods.

"He's just someone who very deeply cares about people and about public 
policy, and about making sure that everyone in our community has access 
to equal justice," Barsky said.