Louise H. Renne

Renne is the founding partner of Renne Public Law Group LLP, the successor to Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai Public Law Group LLP. She served 16 years as San Francisco’s first female city attorney, where she transformed the defense-oriented office by instituting an affirmative litigation program that among other successes won more than $500 million for the city in the massive tobacco industry settlement.

She then persuaded voters to approve use of the money to rebuild Laguna Honda Hospital, the city’s skilled nursing and rehab center for seniors and adults with disabilities.

Now, Renne is involved in work for other local institutions. In a pro bono effort, she’s helping the Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts move from its Diamond Heights location to a spot near the Civic Center in an estimated $294 million project.

“We’re going to bring it down there and enhance the arts program,” she said. There’s a $100 million bond and money from the state, she added, acknowledging it’s a heavy lift. “The move date isn’t set. There’s a lot of work between now and then, but we’re on the road.”

She’s helming a shareholder derivative suit alleging that Google Inc. and its parent Alphabet Inc. covered up sexual harassment and discrimination, causing financial and reputational damage to the tech giant. Martin v. Page, 19-civ-00164 (San Mateo Cty. Super. Ct., field Jan 10, 2019).

“Harassing executives were let go with hundreds of millions of dollars in their pockets, and we think that’s wrong,” Renne said.

With Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, she represents California counties in a RICO suit against Purdue Pharma LP and other big pharmaceutical companies over their role in the opioid addiction epidemic. County of Sonoma v. Purdue Pharma LP, 3:18-cv-03806 (N.D. Cal., filed June 26, 2018). The case has been transferred to became part of multi-district litigation over the issue.

“There was over-advertising and the pushing of pills they knew to be addictive,” Renne said. “We’re now before a judge in Ohio. This is very much in size and scope like the tobacco litigation.”

She represents tenants of the San Francisco Flower Mart as redevelopment plans affect the big grower-owned floral wholesaler. “We’re helping them sort out their future,” she said. “Nobody wants to see them leave the city, but is it realistic for them to stay in their current location as a commercial and residential area clashes with their industrial use? I’m the tenants lawyer. They offered to send me a bouquet. I said, wait till it’s over.”

—John Roemer