Education

  • University of California, Los Angeles – Bachelor of Arts in Political Theory and International Relations (1986)
  • S.S.E.C., Paris, France – Diploma in International Trade, Finance, and Business Transactions Law (1989)
  • Loyola Law School, Los Angeles – Juris Doctor, Dean’s List , International Law Society (1991)

Professional Experience

  • Law Offices of Finney Arnold LLP– Founding Named Partner(2016 to Present) Practice Areas: Government Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement, Government and Corporate Transactions and Compliance, General Business Law Development,CEQA, Land Use, Coastal, and Environmental Law, Energy Law, Non-Profit Corporate Formation and Compliance, Public Entity and Administrative Law (lead office in Los Angeles, CA)
  • Law Offices of Dongell Lawrence Finney LLP – Founding Named Partner (2004 to 2015, practiced law from 1989-95 with Law Offices of Radcliff Dongell Lawrence LLP prior to government service below Practice Areas: Government Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement, Government and Corporate Transactions and Compliance, General Business Law, Development,CEQA, Land Use, Coastal, and Environmental Law, Energy Law, Non-Profit Corporate Formation and Compliance, Public Entity and Administrative Law (lead office in Los Angeles, CA)
  • HCT Environmental – Outside General Counsel (2006 to Present)
    Member of Board of Managers and counsel of leading solid waste conversion and waste-to- energy technology and facility development company (corporate offices in Los Angeles, CA)
  • Iceland America Energy, Inc. – Founder and Outside General Counsel (2004 to Present) Founding majority shareholder, member of Board of Directors, and counsel of renewable energy company partnered with all significant companies and utilities in the Icelandic energy industry focused on developing geothermal power plants and space heating districts (corporate offices in Los Angeles, CA)
  • Office  of     the     California     Governor     –     State’s     Chief     Executive Senior Advisor and Director of Policy– Senior Staff to Governor, participated in decisions relating to economic development, budget, legislation, policy and constituencies (1999 to 2003)
  • California Office of Administrative Law – State’s Chief Regulator
    Director – Responsible for approving, amending or denying all regulations and emergency regulations for all state departments and agencies(2003)
  • California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research – State’s Chief Planning Agency Director – State’s chief planner, international economic development advocate, small business advocate, rural policy advocate, environmental justice advocate, American Indian coordinator, legislative and policy support unit, community vitalization director, and served as Director of the Governor’s Office of Innovation in Government (state technology projects), (2001 – 2003)
  • California Department of Social Services – State’s Chief Social  Welfare  Provider Interim Director – Responsible for the welfare-to-work (TANF), child support, senior protection, adoption, foster care, California Indian Child Welfare Act, and technology support services for second largest welfare agency in United States (1999)
  • California Lieutenant Governor’s Office– State’s Chief Deputy Executive
    General Counsel – Responsible for policy, budget, legislative, and legal advice, Commission for Economic Development, State Lands Commission, Regents for the University of California, and Trustees for the California State University (1998)
  • California State Controller’s Office – State’s  Chief  Financial  Officer Deputy State Controller and General Counsel – Responsible for policy, budget, legislative, legal advice, and for staffing the State Controller on or participating on numerous financing authorities, boards and commissions (see below) (1995-1998)
  • Congressional Committee on Public Works– Law Clerk
    Clerked for the Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds in the U.S. Congress, chaired by Congressman Douglas H. Bosco (1989)

Boards and Commissions

  • California  Public   Utilities     Commission–    Member(1999) Policy body for the State agency which regulates privately owned electric, telecommunications, naturalgas, waterandtransportationcompanies
  • California Independent System Operator – Governing Board (2001-2002)
    Governing Board of California’selectricity grid and regulator of electricity markets
  • California Public Employees Retirement System – Staff to State Controller (1995- 1998) Largest public employee’s pension fund in the world with almost $250 billion in assets
  • California State Teachers Retirement System – Staff to State Controller (1995- 1998) Third largest public employee pension fund in the world with over $170 billion in assets
  • California Earthquake Authority–Designee for Governor (1999) A privately financed, publicly managed entity to help California residents protect themselves against risk of earthquake loss
  • California Agriculture Labor Relations Board – Member (1999)
    State primary enforcement agency of farm worker labor relations
  • California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board – Chairman(1999)
    State-sponsored insurance fund that ensures a worker access to medical care and provides medical care to uninsured children and their families
  • California Commission on State Mandate Claims – Member (2002 to 2003)
    State regulator for reimbursement of state mandated costs to public entities
  • California Board of Control – Designee for State Controller (1995-1998)
    State policy body overseeing a program to assist victims of crime in obtaining restitution for the financial losses suffered as a direct result of criminal acts
  • California Child Support Task Force – Member(1994-1995)
    Reformed child support collection process to ensure children received their court ordered financial support
  • California Franchise Tax Board – Staff to State Controller(1995-1998)
    Policy body for the department that collects $50 billion in state personal income taxes and bank and corporation taxes for the State of California
  • California State Board of Equalization – Designee for State Controller (1995-1998) Constitutionally mandated policy body for the agency which administers the State’s $40 billion sales and use taxes, property taxes, special taxes and the tax appellate program
  • California State Lands Commission – Designeefor State Controller (1995-1998); Designee for Lieutenant Governor (1998-1999)
    State policy body which oversees the use and operation of State lands
  • State Strategic Committee on Terrorism – Member (2001 to 2003)
    Inter-agency Committee supporting the development and implementation of California’s comprehensive terrorism preparedness and response activities
  • California Voting Modernization Board – Designee of the Governor (2002 to Present) State-level policy board charged with funding the development of state electronic voting

Financing Authorities

  • Brownfield Clean   Loan   Fund    Program    –    Member(2001-2003) Program offers financial incentives to encourage redevelopment of abandoned and underutilized urban property in California
  • California Housing Finance Agency – Board Member (2001-2003)
    The largest public housing finance agency in the United States
  • California Debt Limit Allocation Committee – Designee for State Controller (1995- 1998) Allocates California’s $2.6 billion tax-exempt private activity bond volume cap in support of infrastructure and other community development activities
  • California Tax Credit Allocation Committee – Designee for State Controller (1995- 1998) Policy and project approval body which oversees the administration of the State’s $55 billion low income tax credit program
  • California Pollution Control Financing Board – Designee for State Controller (1995- 1998) Policy and project approval body which oversees the State’s $464 million pollution control facility-financing program
  • Clean Water and Water Reclamation Finance Committee – Designee for Governor (2002) Bond finance committee which oversees the sale of revenue bonds to construct and reconstruct water treatment and reclamation facility in California
  • Correctional Facility Capital Finance Committee — Designee for Governor(2001- 2002) Bond finance committee which oversees the sale of revenue bonds to construct and reconstruct youth correctional facilities in California
  • Higher Education Facilities Finance Committee – Designee for Governor(2001- 2002) Bondfinancecommitteewhichoverseesthesaleofrevenuebondstoconstruct and reconstruct public higher education facilities in California
  • Safe Drinking Water Finance Committee – Designee for Governor (2001-2002) Bond finance committee which oversees the sale of revenue bonds to construct and reconstruct water facilities in California
  • State School Building Finance Committee – Designee for Governor (2001- 2002) Bond finance committee which oversees the sale of revenue bonds to construct and reconstruct public school buildings in California
  • Water Conservation Finance Committee – Designee for Governor (2001-2002) Bond finance committee which oversees the sale of revenue bonds to construct and reconstruct water facilities in California

Public Interest Experience

  • Executive Committee of the Environmental Section of the State Bar of California – Managing committee of the State Bar section that furthers the knowledge of members in the fields of law affecting the environment and environmental regulatory Substantive areas and topics: Air, litigation, energy, waste management, natural resources, water, land use, toxics and CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) – Member (2004 – 2007), Advisor (2007 – Present)
  • Joint Civilian Orientation Conference — A program  sponsored  by  the  Secretary  of Defense forcivilianpublicopinionleadersinterestedingrowingtheirknowledgeofthemilitary and national defense issues. JCOC is the oldest existing Pentagon outreach program having been held since 1948. JCOC participants attend Pentagon briefings by Department  of Defense militaryandcivilianleadershipandthenjointhemilitaryinthefieldobservingexercise and participating in training. JCOC participants are nominated into the program by senior Defense   Only 80 participantsare selected each year out of hundreds of nominees — Member (2002 – 2008)
  • Hollywood Entertainment Museum, Media, and Arts Academy — 20 year nonprofit entity that creatively educates at-risk studentsfor a successful transition to post-secondary education and employment upon graduation using the entertainment arts – Board Member and Chairman (2004 – 2011)
  • State Environmental Justice Steering Committee — Collaborative of all state agencies and departments with Environmental Justice responsibilities in California – Host and Convener (2002 – 2003)
  • Storm Water Monitoring Groups – Incorporated and performed corporate compliance for six industry-specific nonprofit mutual benefit corporations responsible for complying with NPDES permit storm water requirements and regulations, including the chemical, wine, metal recycling, juice, trucking, and school facilities industries (1991-present)
  • South Africa Constitution Watch Commission — Esteemed group of international human rights advocates, constitutional lawyers, and Nobel laureates that reviewed the major South African political parties’ positions on a bill of rights under international human rights legal principalsand United Nations law – Legal Draftsman (1992-1995)
  • Centerfor Human Rightsand Constitutional Law – Premier nonprofit legal center in Western United States for constitutional immigration and human rights issues – Legal Assistant (1989-1991)

Acknowledgements

  • Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review – Author – “Expanding Social Justice Through the People’s Court”, August 2006, Volume 39, Number 2
  • Super Lawyers– Leading peer-determined recognition nationwide in practice areas of energy, natural resources, environmental, and government law as both private practitioner and corporate counsel (2005 – 2012)
  • Multiple State and Local Governmental Accolades (1995 – 2004)
  • Father of 3 children
  • Extensive professional, international experience