City and County of San Francisco
Office of the City Attorney
Executive Summary
Throughout my term with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Port Division I completed a
variety of tasks. The assignments consisted of organizational activities such as office work and
library filing to duties with more responsibility like filing small claims court documents or
preparing briefs for an upcoming case.
Working for the City Attorney’s Office provided an opportunity to work with one of the
premier city law departments in the United States. All of the attorneys and employees that I had
the privilege to labor with wanted to take me under their guidance to learn what kind of work the
office can provide. Being prepared and equipped with my elite education from the California
Maritime Academy, the transition to working in a prestigious professional environment was
made a lot easier.
I was one of many 2010 student interns with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office,
however we were spread out into the various departments. I was the lone intern at Pier 1 within
the Port Division. Interns are typically involved in assisting Deputy City Attorneys and
Paralegals in drafting statutes and regulations, reviewing contracts, representing the City in court
and before administrative agencies, and advising the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and
various agencies and departments of the City.
About Dennis Herrera and the San Francisco City
Attorney’s Office
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office has been described as one of the most
aggressive and talented city law departments in the nation. Responsibilities of City Attorney, Mr.
Dennis Herrera, and his staff, include representing the City and County of San Francisco in legal
proceedings, providing advice or written opinions to any officer, department head, board,
commission or other unit of local government, making recommendations to the Board of
Supervisors for or against the settlement of dismissal of legal proceedings, and examining or
approving all real property to be acquired by the city. The office is also in charge of investigating
and evaluating all claims made against the City and County, which is what most of the work I
did entailed.
Dennis Herrera was elected in 2001 on a pledge to defend the integrity of public
institutions, to expand neighborhood production efforts, and to enhance local government’s
accountability of residents and taxpayers. He has consistently been named among California’s
top 100 most influential attorneys by the Daily Journal statewide legal newspaper. In 2009,
Herrera’s office was recognized with the American Bar Association’s lifetime achievement
award for outstanding excellence in the area of state and local government law. Before Herrera
was appointed San Francisco City Attorney, he served on the United States Maritime
Administration in Washington, D.C. He went on to practice maritime law in San Francisco.
Dennis Herrera and the rest of the City Attorney’s Office are committed to fulfilling its
mission to provide the highest quality legal services to the City and County of San Francisco,
including the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, and the over ninety departments, boards,
commissions and offices of San Francisco, as well as to related public agency clients such as the
San Francisco Unified School District. The office is organized into four general areas which
include administration, government, neighborhoods and community services, and litigations,
claims and investigations. The port team is positioned under the government sector and handles
claims filed against the City and County of San Francisco, which total around 4,000 per year.
These claims against the City can range from minor vehicle accidents to allegations seeking
multi-million dollars from San Francisco.
Location
While the majority of operations for the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office go on at
City Hall, the Port Division location is Pier 1. Situated right on the Embarcadero and at the foot
of Market Street, I could not have asked for a better site for an internship. Next door neighbor to
the San Francisco Ferry Building and within walking distance of Justin Herman Plaza as well as
the Financial District, it allowed me to experience the business presence that is unique to the city.
Bart, cable cars, Muni Metro and Muni Bus services were conveniently located minutes away,
which was perfect for internship meetings at San Francisco City Hall and my frequent trips to the
courthouse for small claims filings. With the Ferry Building within proximity, I transported to
San Francisco from Vallejo via the Baylink Ferry. Taking the ferry was ideal with lack of
parking and increased traffic throughout the city. It was not difficult to get around because the
Port had bicycles for nearby travels and vehicles for distant destinations, which were only used if
public transportation routes were not available.
My Role as an Intern
Students currently enrolled in an accredited law school or undergraduate law minor
program are eligible to participate in the City Attorney’s intern program. The office offers
clinical, volunteer, and work-study internships to students during the spring, summer, and fall
semesters. The spring internship generally begins in mid-January and ends in mid-April. Interns
are required to be able to work a minimum of ten hours per week during the spring program. The
number of interns varies from year to year based on the office’s need for interns. Typically, they
host approximately twenty-five interns in the spring. I was one of twenty-nine spring 2010
student interns with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, however we were spread out into
the various departments. I was the only intern at Pier 1 within the Port Division. Interns are
typically involved in assisting Deputy City Attorneys and Paralegals in drafting statues and
regulations, reviewing contracts, representing the City in court and before administrative
agencies, and advising the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and various agencies and
departments of the City. Work varies depending on the team on which a student interns however;
I was mostly involved with reviewing small claims and filings before admission to the
courthouse. The office encourages the attorneys to mentor interns and provide constructive
feedback, which I felt was an excellent opportunity to gain realistic professional legal
experiences. Interns typically work closely on projects with at least two or three attorneys. My
main supervisor was a paralegal, however I also had the opportunity to communicate and work
with all five attorneys in the Port Division office. My intern coordinator worked with me to
ensure a manageable workload, while also learning assignments from the provided feedback.
When appropriate, I was always invited to Board, committee and client meetings, trials
and depositions. Additionally, each season the City Attorney’s Office schedules lectures, events,
and tours for the interns. We had the luxury of having our own library within the Port Division
office, however there was also an extensive legal library, three librarians, and a full range of
electronic research materials available for intern access. The purpose of maintaining the law
libraries in the Office of the City Attorney is to directly support the City Attorney in his work to
represent the City and County of San Francisco in legal proceedings. It was beneficial to have
access to the library in City Hall and at the Fox Plaza location for many of the claims that I
worked on. We were also given account names and passwords for LexisNexis and Westlaw for
additional resources.
As an intern in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office it was my duty to be committed
to maintaining the workplace as one of the premier public law offices in the country. I was
responsible to be available for intern assignment and was encouraged to grow professionally in
order to foster a positive work environment. Attorneys, paralegals, secretaries, and additional
Port Division staff treated me as a professional and provided the skills and opportunities to
enhance my future and law career. To be a professional and to always strive to excel in the work
I did for the office was my primary goal. I treated everyone, including clients, deputies, staff, and
members of the public with respect and made sure my supervisor was informed of significant
issues communicated to me by fellow Port employees. I wanted to instill confidence and trust in
the Port Division team by exercising good judgment. I was obligated to respect the office and
city policies and procedures with no abnormal conduct that threatened the integrity, professional
reputation or traditions of the office.
Weekly Schedule
I was notified that I had been accepted into the San Francisco City Attorney’s internship
program via a letter and email from Dennis Herrera’s Managing Attorney, Marisa Moret and his
secretary, Luarel Turner. Luarel Turner is in charge of the internship program and was always
there for any questions I had. Although she is located at the Fox Plaza location, I saw her at
orientation and many meetings throughout the spring semester program. The acceptance letter
informed me that the office will begin the semester with a training and orientation for all interns
on Monday, January 25th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon in Room 234 of City Hall. In the first week
of January I received a call from Robert Bryan, the Executive General Counsel Attorney of the
Port Division, congratulating me on my acceptance to the program. Victoria Gavidia, the Port
Team Paralegal, also contacted me shortly before the orientation to enlighten me about their
office in particular. She invited me to come to Pier 1 following our training session with Ms.
Turner.
Before starting my internship with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, I attended
an orientation meeting led by Ms. Turner to familiarize me with the responsibilities of the Port
Team Division. The orientation included a computer training session as well as information
regarding the use of city property and equipment. Any information obtained in my course of
work including briefs, forms, opinions, memoranda, computer files, and records were to be
treated as strictly confidential since many claims were ongoing. Access to the City Attorney
computer network required all interns to sign a confidentiality contract to assure the protection of
all records. Internet access guidelines, personal appearance, and phone and voicemail setup were
also discussed at orientation. My personal appearance could potentially directly affect people’s
perception of the City Attorney’s office, so it was imperative to dress in a manner consistent with
a professional atmosphere. All interns were given access to personal telephones and voicemail.
As one of almost thirty interns, the orientation also provided an opportunity to meet my
colleagues that were working in other sections of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.
I jumped on Muni Metro and rode from the Civic Center Station to the Embarcadero,
arriving at Pier 1 at 1:00 p.m. I was greeted by one of the Port Division’s secretaries, Diane
Mansfield, who excitedly gave me a tour of the Pier 1 building. While the Port Division handles
most of the small claims within the Port’s waterfront real estate and maritime matters, Pier 1 also
hosts numerous additional sectors within the City Attorney’s Office such as the environmental
team and engineering group. After touring the premises, Diane brought me into our office and
introduced me to five attorneys and extended staff. Besides for Executive Attorney Robert
Bryan, who reports directly to Dennis Herrera, I also had the privilege of assisting attorneys, Tim
Yoshida, Rona Sandler, Joanne Sakai, and Grace Park throughout my internship There were a
total of eight employees in the Port Division Office. By the time I had met everyone and worked
out my schedule with my internship coordinator and supervisor, Victoria Gavidia, it was 4:00
p.m.
I planned my schedule at the California Maritime Academy to accommodate this great
opportunity. With class on Tuesdays and Thursdays I was able to get permission from the Corps
of Cadets Office to be excused from formation, which allowed me to work in San Francisco
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Even more favorable
circumstances were presented when I found out that many of the meetings, trials, dispositions,
tours, and field trips that interns were encouraged to attend were held on Wednesdays and
Fridays. Starting January 25, 2010, we estimated that I would complete 240 hours of service on
April 7, 2010. I served a final total of 264 hours at the office, continuing work until Monday,
April 12, 2010.
Taking the 7:00 a.m. Baylink Ferry from Vallejo, I arrived in San Francisco usually five
minutes before start time. On my second day, January 27, I was escorted by Diane to the Human
Resources Department of the Port in order to take a picture for a temporary identification card
and magnetic key to get me in and out of the Pier 1 facility. I submitted standard forms for
emergency information and reviewed the Port evacuation plan.
Main Tasks and Functions
Throughout my time with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office I completed a variety
of tasks ranging from standard office work and library filing to writing briefs for small claims
cases and attending trial at the courthouse. As an international business major with a minor in
law, my main objective during my internship was to be an effective assistant while also
becoming familiar with a professional environment. I was given an office space with a computer,
phone, legal resources, and other necessary supplies to facilitate my work.
The first job that I was assigned was a small claims matter regarding a subtenant of the
Free Trade Zone at Pier 23. A printing company called Palace Printing International had
occupied a small space at the pier for storage after the main tenant, Free Trade Zone, had been
evicted. Palace Printing International did no pay rent for their overdue stay, so the Port wanted to
try to recover those funds. The first step was for me to write a demand letter to Palace Printing
International’s new location. The demand letter stated that the Port intended to recover the funds
that Palace owed for occupying Port property. We sent the letter via certified mail to one of
Palace’s company executives. Later in the week we were notified that Palace had received the
demand letter, however we did not get any response from the business. We acquired color
photographs of Palace Printing International’s stored supplies inside Pier 23 from Port Property
Manager, Monico Corral. The next step was to prepare a brief and file the paperwork to take the
company to small claims court. The court date has been set for May 3, 2010, in which I will be
going back to the courthouse as an assistant plaintiff under Victoria Gavidia to represent the City
and County of San Francisco. I feel honored that the Port has included me in such a serious
matter, as Palace now owes the City a significant amount of unpaid rent.
I worked on over ten small claims cases, which accounted for the majority of my work
while working for the Port Division. Any maritime related cases were given directly to me for
review and denial in most instances. I often would seek legal support from Robert, Tim, Rona,
Joanne, or Grace to help me write denial letters and prepare court briefs. Some of the cases
included a Vallejo Ferry damaging one of the pilings at their berthing site and a woman slipping
and falling on a set of stairs leading into the bay. Many of the cases that I worked on are still
pending.
Monico is the property manager from Pier 1 to Pier 35. On February 3, I had an
opportunity to spend an entire workday with Monico. We took a port vehicle and he gave me a
tour of all of the piers he watches over. The Port has over 200 tenants under lease in his region
alone. Bauer Limo Service, Teatro Zinzani, Hornblower, Bloomberg, Bar Pilots Association, San
Francisco Police Department, and many fishing companies are just a few of the tenants Monico
works with.
In a similar tour, City Wharf Manager Hedley Prince, took me out on a port boat for an
excursion around the Port’s waterfront property from the waterside point of view. We went
through the fishing marinas, Pier 39, Aquatic Park, and even under the Bay Bridge down to
McCovey Cove near the baseball park. Hedley told me about the unique history of the waterfront
and he introduced me to city property on the wharf.
When I came into work every Monday we would have an office meeting, where Vicky
Gavidia could update the entire staff on new cases against the City and County of San Francisco.
If I wanted to attend cases at the District Court I had an opportunity to do so. On February 17 I
went to Kirola v. City and County of San Francisco. The case involved a challenge to the City’s
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and alleged that the City had failed to
provide reasonable accommodation in various facilities such as swimming pools, recreation
centers, museums, etc. Kirola v. CCSF was just one of the cases that interns were invited to
attend and there were opportunities to listen in on legal actions throughout the semester.
I had the opportunity to attend five Minimum Continuing Legal Education meetings at
City Hall during my internship. The meetings are directed by different attorneys under the City
Attorney’s Office, who have an area of expertise in a particular subject. The first MCLE meeting
included a discussion about local politics, health care policy, litigation strategy, and lobbying the
federal government. In the next assembly we took a tour through San Francisco’s legislative
process. The most interesting MCLE meeting was centered on ethics and discussed rules of
professional conduct. Rules of Professional Conduct, sections of the Business and Professions
Code, and Rules of Court were covered.
In addition to numerous meetings, we also received tours of City buildings such as City
Hall, the courthouse, and libraries. In our tour of City Hall we got an opportunity to meet and
shake the hand of Mayor Gavin Newsom. His office overlooks San Francisco’s historic Civic
Center Plaza. We learned about the history of City Hall and how former Mayor Willie Brown
raised a significant amount of money to preserve the building after the earthquake and fires.
While sitting in the beautiful Board of Supervisors commissioning room, we also had the
pleasant surprise of meeting City Attorney, Dennis Herrera. It was his first time addressing our
spring class of interns. He thanked us for our service and hoped that we gain useful experience in
municipal law with the ability to work on national issues as well as local conflicts.
The Maritime Division of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office was also located at
Pier 1 and close to our office. When they found out that a student from the California Maritime
Academy was interning with the Port Legal Team, they encouraged me to shadow their work and
to join them for any maritime related meetings. One of the congregations we attended inside the
San Francisco Ferry Building, was regarding the redevelopment plans for the Port of San
Francisco, in particular Piers 15, 17, 27, and 70. The Maritime Division has been reviewing best
practices of other newly developed ports around the United States. The Port of San Francisco,
which is owned by the City and County of San Francisco and under jurisdiction of the San
Francisco City Attorney, is over seven miles long and 160 years old. Piers 15 and 17 will soon
accommodate the new Exploratorium building. Pier 27 is the desired site for a modern cruise line
terminal. Advancements are underway so San Francisco will have the ability to bring in larger
ships. Pier 70 has a dry-dock that is outdated and too small to contain large vessels, so a plan is
in place to expand its capacity. I was appreciative that the maritime department included me in
many of their marketing meetings because many of the topics for discussion related to recent
maritime issues that we have talked about in class.
Career Implication and Conclusion
Working at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office has provided me with valuable
insight for my future. Whether it is in a maritime related field or legal domain, the California
Maritime Academy has prepared me for a professional business career. The leadership positions
that I have held in the Corps of Cadets have trained me to effectively communicate with
colleagues in a professional environment. Wearing a uniform and attending mandatory meetings
such as formation simulates what it takes to be successful at the next level. My education at the
California Maritime Academy has primed me for an accomplished future.
Throughout my term with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office I have gained great
legal and professional experience. Volunteering there provided me with a unique opportunity to
gain practical hand-on experience and training, while at the same time contributing in a
meaningful way to the community. It gave me a unique opportunity to combine my educational
studies at the California Maritime Academy with my future aspirations as a law student.
Working for the City of San Francisco is an unparalleled opportunity. It was both an honor and a
profound responsibility knowing that my work could impact meaningful outcome. I was given
legal research and writing assignments in many different and interesting areas of law. The
attorneys always invited me to attend commission meetings, legal proceedings, and meetings
with clients. My internship gave me an in-depth look at the legal and political operations of San
Francisco’s Port Division.