Former State Assemblyman Jose Solorio was badly beaten last November in the race for the 34th State Senate District, by then Supervisor Janet Nguyen. However things are now looking up for Solorio as he has landed a new job.

Solorio was retained by Nossaman LLP to serve as a Senior Policy Advisor.

Here is Nossaman’s official press release with my comments appearing afterwards:

Nossaman Expands Public Policy Group With Former California State Assemblyman Jose Solorio

Sacramento and Irvine, CA  (February  3, 2015) – Nossaman LLP announced today that the Honorable Jose Solorio has joined the Firm’s Public Policy Practice Group as a Senior Policy Advisor. He will maintain offices in Orange County and Sacramento.

Solorio served as a California State Assemblyman from 2006 to 2012 and represented the 69th Assembly District which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove and Santa Ana. Prior to that, he served as a member of the Santa Ana City Council.

“Jose’s public service experience, and the relationships he established in the public and private sector over the course of his career will allow him to provide immediate value for our clients at both the state and federal level,” said Tim Jenkins, who works out of the Firm’s Washington, DC, office and is Chair of Nossaman’s nationwide Public Policy Practice Group.  “I am very excited he is joining the Firm.”

Nossaman’s Public Policy Practice Group helps clients promote their interests and achieve successful results at all levels of government. The Group includes former Members of Congress and senior Congressional Staff, and past senior officials at the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highways Administration, Surface Transportation Board, Department of Treasury, Department of Homeland Security, and Federal Election Commission.

In California, Solorio follows in the footsteps of Firm alumni such as former State Senator John Foran and State Assemblymembers Jack Knox and Bill Bagley in providing public policy expertise to Nossaman clients.

“Jose’s ability to work across the aisle in order to make a positive impact on California has always distinguished him in Sacramento,” said Chris Walker, Senior Policy Advisor who leads Nossaman’s Public Policy Practice Group in Sacramento.  “His involvement on key California policy issues–including water, transportation and insurance issues–adds strategic depth to our robust team of policy advisors.”

During Solorio’s time as a State Assemblyman and City Council member, he focused his efforts on education, job creation, public safety and infrastructure improvements. While in the Legislature, he chaired the Assembly’s Insurance and Public Safety committees, and also served on the Transportation, Appropriations and Education committees. Additionally, he chaired the Assembly’s Select Committee on Addressing the State’s Water Crisis through Regional Approaches; served as Governor Gray Davis’ appointee to the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board for six years; and served as the City of Santa Ana’s appointee to the Orange County Water District Board of Directors for two years.

“Nossaman’s deep roots in the public policy arena in California and Washington, DC, and its excellent reputation in both regions made the Firm very attractive to me,” said Solorio.  “I look forward to working with a leading group of policy advisors and attorneys to help clients address the critical issues affecting them.”

Solorio served as a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Irvine in 2013 and 2014, and is currently serving as a Community College Trustee for the Rancho Santiago Community College District. He earned his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine and his  M.P.P. from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Continuing his profession in communications, marketing and government relations, he was also principal of Solorio Public Affairs and Marketing from 2012 through January 2015.

The addition of Solorio continues Nossaman’s momentum nationally. In January 2015, the Firm expanded its Public Pensions and Investments Group–Ashley Dunning joined the San Francisco office as Partner and Co-Chair and Michael Toumanoff joined the Los Angeles office as Of Counsel. Both joined from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. Also in January 2015, Jay Sterne joined the Washington, DC office as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Firm’s Public Policy Practice Group—prior to joining Nossaman, Sterne served as an Advisor to US Senator Murkowski.  In late 2014, Artin Shaverdian joined the Los Angeles office as a partner in the Eminent Domain and Valuation Practice Group from Best Best & Krieger, and Alex Jackins joined the Washington, DC, office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group from Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

About Nossaman:

Nossaman LLP is a national law firm with 160 professionals working seamlessly across the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Sacramento, Washington, DC, and Austin.  Whether it is working to finance and develop public infrastructure, provide healthcare services, litigate complex matters in unique niches such as land use and environmental, financial services, employment, and eminent domain, entitle private development, manage natural resources, complete real estate and business transactions, or increase business profitability, clients rely on Nossaman to get results.

Eric W. Miller
Communications Manager
NOSSAMAN LLP
777 South Figueroa Street, 34th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
emiller@nossaman.com
T 213.612.7800   F 213.612.7801
D 213.612.7805

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You might recall this law firm from the brouhaha over the attempted sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds a few years ago.  At the time Nossaman LLP was employing former State Senator Dick Ackerman and he was up to his neck in the effort to sell the O.C. Fairgrounds.

The O.C. Register reported that:

Ackerman’s former law firm, Nossaman LLP, received contracts that totaled about $100,000, according to Fair Sale Review Committee member Theresa Sears. About half of that went to an appraiser, and Ackerman acted as a liaison with local and state public officials, the report says.

But details of the arrangement were only revealed after public records inquiries, the report says, as the law firm was a subcontractor and paid by a separate joint powers authority.

Solorio’s name came up during the O.C. Fairgrounds battle, as reported by the Voice of OC:

State Senator Lou Correa and former State Assemblyman Jose Solorio acknowledged meeting with Ackerman, but said they couldn’t recall what he talked to them about when DA investigators interviewed them years after the initial allegations were made.

According to the DA’s report, Ackerman’s law firm – Nossaman LLP – was retained on behalf of the Fair Board by LSA Associates, which had a contract going back a decade with the fairgrounds contracting agency – the California Construction Authority.

DA officials also state that because the contract was to assist with the implementation of the OC Fair’s Master Plan Project, the lobbying contracts were apparently legal.

The CCA has since dissolved amidst an accounting controversy.

You can reach Solorio now at jsolorio@nossaman.com and at 949.477.7643.

Here is Solorio’s bio as presented by his new employer, Nossaman LLP:

Jose Solorio is a Senior Policy Advisor providing legislative and regulatory solutions for a variety of clients with interests in transportation, water, insurance, labor, public safety, and education issues in state government and Southern California. He is based in the firm’s Sacramento and Orange County offices.

Prior to joining Nossaman, Hon. Solorio served as a State Assemblyman and Santa Ana City Councilmember. In his role as State Assemblyman, and now as Community College Trustee for the Rancho Santiago Community College District, he has focused his efforts on education, job creation, public safety and infrastructure improvements. While in the Legislature, he chaired the Assembly’s Insurance and Public Safety committees, and also served on the Transportation, Appropriations and Education committees. In addition, he chaired the Assembly’s Select Committee on Addressing the State’s Water Crisis through Regional Approaches.

Complementing his work as an elected official in state and local government, Hon. Solorio has 14 years of public affairs, marketing, public relations, research and communications experience. He uses those skills to help businesses and organizations – large and small – tackle tough issues and communicate their messages effectively.

Hon. Solorio is known for having a “can-do” spirit, using his moderate politics to work both sides of the aisle, and getting results for his clients.

REPRESENTATIVE WORK

Represents a variety of businesses and organizations at the local and state levels in the following industries: transportation, used motor oil recycling, commercial/residential waste services, non-profit community center, prevailing wage and labor compliance, asphalt repair, and land use development/zoning/entitlement.

• Advocates for students and college affordability as a member of the California Student Aid Commission and Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Trustees.

• Worked on variety of insurance, transportation, water, education, and public safety issues in the California State Assembly.

• Led the California State Assembly Moderate Democratic Caucus, aka New Democrats.

• Provided government relations, marketing, communications, research and public relations services as an administrator at the Orange County Transportation Authority for eight years.

• Served as Governor Gray Davis’ appointee to the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board for six years, and as the City of Santa Ana’s appointee to the Orange County Water District Board of Directors for two years.

• Championed redevelopment, street infrastructure and park projects in the City of Santa Ana as an elected City Council Member.