Alex Lee
Alexander Lee is an associate at Compass Legal Group in the Political Law practice group. He advises candidates, officeholders, tax-exempt organizations, and political committees on political law issues, including federal and state campaign finance, lobbying, and election laws. He also assists clients on government ethics rules, including enforcement investigations and actions, and on matters relating to corporate and non-profit governance.
Before joining Compass Legal Group, Alexander worked full-time at an oil and gas trade association while attending McGeorge's evening program. He also served as an aide in the U.S. House of Representatives and on several state and federal campaigns.
Alexander graduated with distinction from both the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
Alexander is a member of the Federalist Society and the Republican National Lawyers Association.
Amanda Kirchner
Amanda Kirchner (Class of 2006) is the Director of Legislative Advocacy for the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA). She joined CWDA in May 2022 and represents the association on behalf of California’s 58 county human services agencies. In this role, she advocates for CWDA’s legislative and budget priorities across the spectrum of services and programs operated by county human services agencies.
Before joining CWDA, Amanda served as Legislative Director for Assembly Member Ken Cooley, representing California’s 8th District, for almost 10 years. In this role, Amanda staffed his work on the Assembly Rules Committee and Select Committee on Foster Care, as well as in the areas of Insurance, Banking and Finance, Cannabis, Judiciary, Labor, Public Safety and Revenue & Taxation. Prior to joining the Assembly Member’s office, she was a Senior Consultant in the Speaker’s Office of Member Services for 5 years. She also has extensive campaign experience.
Amanda holds a Juris Doctor with a Certificate in Government Affairs from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and a B.A. in English from California State University, Stanislaus. She lives in Sacramento with her wife Courtney and their two sons.
Ashlee N. Titus
Partner, Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk, LLP
Ashlee received her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and her undergraduate degree with honors in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy from Chatham College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2003.
Ashlee joined Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk, LLP in 2004 and has been a partner since 2015. She maintains a nationwide practice advising individuals, businesses, candidates, political action committees (PACs), lobbyists, and trade associations on compliance with complex campaign finance and advertising, lobbying, and nonprofit tax exempt statutes and regulations. Ashlee also counsels clients on navigating the process of qualifying initiative, referenda and recall ballot measures at state and local levels and all aspects of such campaigns. Ashlee is a leader organizing efforts to ensure integrity and proper administration of elections in California.
Ashlee is currently president of California Political Attorneys Association.
Brittney Barsotti
Brittney Barsotti became CNPA’s General Counsel in January 2021. CNPA represents over 450 publications throughout the state of California. As General Counsel she serves as in house counsel, runs a legal helpline for CNPA members, provides workshops on press rights and leads CNPA’s legislative advocacy. Before law school, she was an editor of her community college publication, Las Positas Express, and obtained a degree in journalism at San Francisco State University. There she covered issues such as tuition increases and cuts to the CSU system in the state budget. She also served as managing editor, news editor and multimedia editor of the school’s newspaper.
After spending a year of service with AmeriCorps through California’s First 5, she attended McGeorge School of Law, where she specialized in regulatory and legislative issues. As a part of McGeorge’s Legislative and Public Policy Clinic, she worked to pass Medi-Cal legislation, SB 1339 (2016). She has also worked on regulatory and legislative issues while at the Board of Parole Hearings, the Office of Legislative Counsel, and the Board of Equalization.
Chris Micheli
Chris Micheli is a Principal with the Sacramento governmental relations and advocacy firm of Aprea & Micheli, Inc. He has been a lobbyist for the past 25 years and serves as an Adjunct Professor at McGeorge, where he teaches in both the JD and MSL programs. He is also the author of half a dozen textbooks and four casebooks on subjects related to California state government.
Micheli has been an attorney of record in several key cases, having argued before the Supreme Court of California, as well as the Court of Appeal several times. Additionally, he has been qualified as an expert witness on California's knife laws in superior court, and has appeared as an expert witness before the State Board of Equalization in several key tax cases. His writings and work have been cited in amicus curiae legal briefs, books, and law review articles, as well as by the Congressional Research Service.
Cliff Berg
Mr. Berg is President of Governmental Advocates. He joined Governmental Advocates in 1995 after spending 40 years in state government service, the last 22 of which were spent working for the California State Senate. As the senior partner in the firm, Mr. Berg has provided advocacy strategy to a wide variety of corporate, non-profit and association clients. His areas of expertise include taxation, internet/ technology, financial products and services, telecommunications, health care and local government. Mr. Berg also specializes on developing business opportunities for corporate clients with the state, and has also worked extensively on taxation issues. Mr. Berg is particularly experienced in the state budget process and has worked closely with a wide variety of nonprofit clients seeking state funding.
Immediately prior to joining Governmental Advocates, Mr. Berg served 11 years as Executive Officer of the Senate. As Executive Officer, Mr. Berg was responsible for the administration of the State Senate and worked directly for two successive President Pro Tempores, Senator David Roberti and Senator Bill Lockyer. Due to this experience, Mr. Berg brings the firm’s clients a unique perspective on the legislative and governmental process and insights into the politics of policy making in California.
He is a member of the California State Bar and a graduate of McGeorge School of Law. He has his B.A. from Occidental College in Los Angeles.
Active in the Sacramento Jewish community, Mr. Berg is currently on the Board of the Sacramento Jewish Federation and is active in a wide variety of civic organizations. Mr. Berg has also served as a volunteer Judge Pro Tempore in the Sacramento Small Claims Court. He is married to his wife Debra and has three children.
Erin Evans-Fudem
Erin Evans-Fudem joined the Office of the County Counsel in 2024. She represents the County on a range of matters before the California state legislature and administrative agencies. Prior to joining the County, Erin spent nearly 20 years representing public agencies, nonprofits, and businesses as a lobbyist working on a variety of issues such as health and human services, environmental issues, housing and homelessness, infrastructure, local finance, and state budget issues.
Office practice areas
- Legislative Affairs Team
Education
- McGeorge School of Law, J.D.,2012
- California State University, B.A., 2006
Jamie Taylor
Jamie Taylor has an extensive career focused on leadership, diversity, and inclusion, making a significant impact on California’s legislative processes. Currently serving as the Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the California State Senate, Jamie’s role centers on fostering an inclusive environment within the Senate. His leadership ensures fair representation, equal opportunities, and a culture of respect across legislative operations. Before this, Jamie directed the Senate Fellows Program, a prestigious initiative that trains and mentors emerging leaders through hands-on experience in California’s legislative process. His background also includes valuable experience in the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, where he contributed to legislative process management and publications. A proud McGeorge School of Law graduate, Jamie earned his Master of Science in Law in 2017, further solidifying his expertise in law and public policy.
Ken Cooley
Former Assemblyman Ken Cooley was admitted to the State Bar in fall 1984 after earning his Juris Doctorate at McGeorge Law the prior spring. As an evening law student, his State Capitol day was as the Assembly Rules Chair’s top staff member, a broad role that included managing all his legislation.
Ken’s Capitol career began in 1977, the year he graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a B.A. in Political Science. During his first post-Cal job hunt visit to the State Capitol, Ken was told most Capitol professional jobs are one of 3 types – as Member personal staff, as subject matter expert staff advising a committee, or in third house advocacy. For Ken, this simple formulation proved to be a road map, although voters in Sacramento County added a 4th category by electing him to the State Assembly five times.
Ken brought lots to his State Assembly responsibilities since he had worked for 20 years in the pre-term limits Capitol. That helped him see a path to break the nearly 2-decade impasse to adopt rules for medical marijuana (a 2015 breakthrough) and pass a ground-breaking 2016 law setting concussion protection rules for high school football.
Ken was Chair of the Assembly Rules Committee for more than 6 years – the longest in several decades. His responsibilities including guiding new Member training, making all bill referrals, and supervising all Assembly staff employment.
Over the same period, Ken also chaired the Joint Rules Committee of the Senate and Assembly. In that role, Ken’s leadership began immediately; he reactivated the Joint Committee with a series of hearings that ended a 15 year hiatus) (See: Hearings | California State Assembly ) In this way, Ken galvanized a newly-engaged Joint Committee to begin - with strong bipartisanship – the Capitol Annex Project, including the design and building of the temporary home for the Legislative and Executive branches, the Swing Space facility. Home | California State Assembly
During his first Assembly term, (2014), Assemblyman Cooley envisioned and oversaw development of the Assembly Oversight Handbook in collaboration with senior Assembly staff. As Rules Chair, he added it to the Assembly’s home page in 2017. 2017 Oversight Handbook | California State Assembly
During his Assembly tenure, Assemblyman Cooley also Chaired the Select Committee on Foster Youth and served for 10 years on the Governmental Organization, Insurance, and Public Employment and Retirement standing committees.
In 1985 upon my admission to the Bar, I became Legislative Counsel to the California Land Title Association. In this third house advocacy role, he was active on legislation touching insurance, mortgage finance, housing, real estate and judiciary matters.
In 1988, the Assembly under Speaker Willie Brown Jr. hired me as Chief Counsel for the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee. This committee’s broad scope embraced mortgage finance, banks/savings and loans/credit unions, all lines of insurance (property and casualty, life, health, disability & workers compensation), and both the FAIR Plan and the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF). My responsibilities including managing the staff and calendar to support an active F & I oversight agenda. The F & I committee’s oversight work included the rare use of legislative subpoenas as it convened hearings on the 1980’s savings and loan crisis, the Transit and Mission insurer insolvencies, and post-disaster insurance and recovery issues after 1989’s Loma Prieta earthquake. (Ken served on the CA Seismic Safety Commission - 2007-2009 & 2015-22 – due to this background.)
In 1991, I became in-house counsel for State Farm Insurance. My law practice involved advising my employer and colleagues on legislative strategy and guiding – in both California and over a dozen other states - messaging and effective advocacy strategy for translating complex legal matters to non-technical audiences.
In my final law job, in 2009 the State Senate hired me to be Principal Consultant to its Banking and Finance Committee with a focus on insurance. I held that role for 3 years until January 2012 when I announced my State Assembly bid.
Prior to my election to the Assembly, I was already a public official, having served for 10 years as a founding Councilman for the City of Rancho Cordova (2002 to 2012) and 2 terms as Mayor (2005 and 2010). During my elective career, peers in other units of government have advanced me to leadership roles for the:
League of California Cities, (1st and 2nd Statewide Vice President, 2008/2009)
National Council of Insurance Legislators, (President 2022, National Officer 2017-2022)
Council of State Governments West, Co-Chair, Oversight Working Group and 2023 recipient of the Bettye Fahrenkamp Award for Distinguished Legislative Leadership.
Lance Olson
Lance H. Olson is a founder and senior counsel of Olson Remcho. He previously founded the law firm of Olson Hagel & Fishburn LLP which merged with Remcho Johansen & Purcell in January 2020 to form Olson Remcho. Mr. Olson specializes in the practice of election, government and political law.
Mr. Olson serves as counsel to many of California’s foremost labor unions, several large trade associations, a number of major environmental organizations and many of California’s leading tech entrepreneurs. In addition, he has advised scores of elected and public officials, including Speakers of the Assembly and Presidents Pro Tem of the Senate. He has provided legal advice to the California Democratic Party since 1982.
Lexi Howard
Lexi Howard is an attorney at the California Department of Water Resources in the Office of the General Counsel. Lexi was previously an attorney in the Legal Affairs Office of the California Secretary of State, and before that, was in private practice as a real estate and business attorney. Prior to that (before, during, and after law school), Lexi was a public policy advocate and lobbyist, representing businesses and trade associations, with a focus on real estate, business, and the judiciary. From 1985 through 2010, Lexi worked for a national title insurance and financial services firm.
Lexi identifies as queer and as a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. Lexi currently serves as the Chair of the McGeorge Diversity Board and is a founding and sustaining contributor to the McGeorge Virtual Food Pantry, a project begun by the Diversity Board. She also serves on the McGeorge Capital Center Advisory Board, the Board of SacLegal, Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, as a founding member and advisor to the Disability Inclusivity Bar Association of Sacramento (DIBAS), on the Board of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, and has recently elected to the Board of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. Lexi serves as a mentor to law students as well as for high school students in the Law and Public Policy Academy at C. K. McClatchy High School, as well as an Operation Protect and Defend essay reader, mock trial volunteer, and in too many other capacities to mention.
Lexi was an evening/part-time student at McGeorge, receiving her J.D. in 2015 with a Certificate in Capital Lawyering. She was a student in the inaugural Legislative & Public Policy Clinic, and served on the Board of the Student Bar Association, as President and Vice President of the Capital Lawyering Association for Students (then the Government Affairs Student Association), and as Chair of the Lambda Law Students Association. At graduation, Lexi received McGeorge’s Outstanding Student Service Award and was selected by classmates as the Evening Class Commencement Speaker. Lexi earned a B.S. in Business Management in 2010 from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.
Rebecca Olson
Rebecca J. Olson focuses her practice in political, election, campaign, and nonprofit law. She creates and advises corporations and trade associations and serves as general counsel to a number of campaign committees for candidates, ballot measures, and corporate and trade association political action committees (PACs) on the federal, state, and local level. She represents clients on matters related to compliance with election, campaign, and lobbying laws. She also defends clients on enforcement matters before the Fair Political Practices Commission, local ethics commissions, and the Federal Election Commission. Rebecca also advises state, local and federal government officials on government ethics issues, such as conflicts of interest, gifts, and Statements of Economic Interest (Form 700).
Rebecca’s practice also includes the formation and operation of nonprofit organizations, including compliance with the Internal Revenue Code, the California Revenue and Tax Code, and the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts.
Richard Weisberg
Richard B. Weisberg- Principal Deputy Legislative Counsel (retired). Began career in California State Assembly staff in 1973 after graduating from U.C. Irvine. Attended McGeorge from 1974 to 1978 evenings and started at the Legislative Counsel in 1980. Worked in various areas eventually supervising the education unit and the state and local government unit until retiring in 2011. Presently working part-time as Senior Staff Counsel in the legal office of the California State Auditor assisting audit teams engaged in program performance review.
