Every year, Capitol Weekly ranks the Top 100 people who work in the Capitol area in California. The first, Nathan Barankin ’06, and third, Ann Patterson '03, on the list are University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law alumni (and just so happen to be married to each other).

Barankin is chief of staff to the California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Barankin has served for many high-profile politicians; previously serving in many capacities for former Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, including as Harris’ Chief of Staff during her time as California’s Attorney General and later when she was in the U.S. Senate. He was senior advisor for her 2020 presidential campaign and served in senior advisory roles for Newsom as well as former Senate pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg and then-Attorney General Jerry Brown.

The chief of staff to Newsom is a role that requires a high level of trust and the person in that role must be capable to handle everything in-house amidst the current national demands.

“McGeorge is the Capitol’s law school. We have an unmatched alumni network working in and around the Capitol and a proud tradition of McGeorge alumni selected for Capitol Weekly’s annual Top 100,” McGeorge Associate Professor of Law & Public Policy, Erin O’Neal, said.

For years, Patterson served as Newsom’s cabinet secretary, essentially working as his top advisor. When Patterson’s husband became the chief of staff, she transitioned into a senior advisory role focusing exclusively on the recovery efforts around the devastating fires in Los Angeles.

She is currently spearheading the fire recovery problems in southern California but has a history working in emergency conflict resolution.  Prior to joining the Newsom Administration, Patterson was a partner in the law firm of Orrick, Herrington, and Sutcliffe until 2018. Her national practice focused on advising emerging technology clients in finance, insurance and other highly regulated industries to anticipate as well as solve complex legal and operational challenges. She received the Legal Momentum Women of Achievement Award in 2020 for her work on sexual extortion.

“Students in McGeorge’s Capital Lawyering Concentration study with professors who have extensive experience in government law and policy and our Legislative & Public Policy Clinic provides our students with the opportunity to not just learn the law, but help to shape it, while in law school,” O’Neal said.

Patterson was recognized as one of McGeorge’s 40 inaugural Alumni of Honor award recipients during the school’s centennial anniversary in 2024.