Full Name
Robert Hertzberg
Job Title
Former Speaker of the California State Assembly
Company
Former Majority Leader of the California State Senate
Speaker Bio
Mr. Robert Hertzberg is a native of Los Angeles who served as both Speaker of the California State Assembly (the first in 50 years to be unanimously elected in both 2000 and 2002) and Majority Leader of the California State Senate (2019-2021). His first act as Speaker was to rearrange the Assembly floor seating chart with democrats and republicans sitting amongst each other, thereby eliminating references to the “right” or “left” side of the aisle to bring the political parties together. Together with former Congressman Dennis Cardoza, he was co-founder of the “Business Democrats” in the California State Assembly.
Mr. Hertzberg is known for taking on the biggest and most challenging issues facing California, and for brokering some of the toughest negotiations, including the energy crisis of 2000-2001. In the words of one veteran Sacramento columnist, he is “an intense bundle of energy, and an all-night negotiator.” The Los Angeles Times said, “he loves big ideas and will flush out every one of them if you give him a chance.” The Los Angeles Daily News said he “has relentless dedication and indefatigable energy…[and] he has a reputation for integrity and perseverance.” Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said Mr. Hertzberg is “…someone I trust … He is someone that, for many things and many decisions I make, I rely on his judgment.” Recently, in August 2026, he was named one of the TOP TEN most influential in the CAPITOL WEEKLY’s TOP 100 in California’s State Capitol.
In the twelve years between his service in both houses of the California legislature (2002-2014), Mr. Hertzberg was a partner in the Global Trade and Government Practice Group of the international law firm Mayer Brown, LLP, in Los Angeles with Former Commerce Secretary and Trade Representative Mickey Kantor. He also worked extensively in the global climate and energy sector as chairman of several renewable energy companies in the United States and Europe. As a consequence of his work, he was recognized by the Guardian Magazine in the United Kingdom as one of “50 People Who Could Save the Planet.” He won the World Bank Award (“Lighting Africa”) for a project in Rwanda and was recognized as a “Force for Good” by Tomorrow’s Company in the United Kingdom. The Western Mail recognized his work as the “Welsh Innovation Company of the Year,” as did the United Nations with the “Wind Made Award” for his UK company that manufactured solar technology using a wind turbine. His work was also recognized by CNBC Business as one of the “Top 100 Low Carbon Pioneers” and the Wall Street Journal’s “Award for Innovation” in the field of energy.
Currently Mr. Hertzberg is the author and proponent of The California Middle-Class Homeownership and Family Construction Act” which will appear on California’s November 2026 Ballot. It is a 3% downpayment program that differs extensively from the many existing program: No first time homebuyer restriction, cash flow underwriting instead of reliance on credit scores, only applies to brand new construction in an effort in increase housing supply (estimated to result in more than 190,000 new homes in California, provides significant incentive to lenders, and a customer friendly process without government red tape, reforms construction defects litigation by capping attorney fees and providing developers the right to repair, homebuyer retains 100% of appreciation. Funded by private investors and the Legislative Analyst opined that “there is no state or local taxpayer costs.”
Further, in his private life, Mr. Hertzberg has extensive real estate experience as an equity owner in various hotel and commercial properties, developer of for-sale and affordable housing and as a co-author of a real estate law book published by the University of California Press (1983 and second edition in 1994).
Other examples of Mr. Hertzberg’s civic engagement and service include: two terms as Chair of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (2004 and 2011), Chair of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Board Member of the Southern California Leadership Council, Board of Councilors at USC Price School of Public Policy, Member, Board of Advisors, Pepperdine School of Public Policy, Member, Board of Advisors, Rose Institute, Claremont McKenna College, Senior Fellow, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, Former Board Member at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Chair of Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa’s Transition Team, member of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Transition team, and Co-Chair of two Los Angeles City Attorneys’ Transition Teams.
A 1979 graduate of the University of California San Francisco School of Law, Hertzberg has been named “One of the Top Ten Lawyers in Los Angeles” by the Los Angeles Daily Journal, and one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California” on multiple occasions by the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Mr. Hertzberg lives in Ventura County, California with Dr. Katharine Tellis, a professor at California State University, Los Angeles. He has two sons: David, a classical music composer and Juilliard graduate, and Daniel, a political activist. He has a daughter, Athena Grace who will be president of the United States one day.
www.roberthertzberg.com
Mr. Hertzberg is known for taking on the biggest and most challenging issues facing California, and for brokering some of the toughest negotiations, including the energy crisis of 2000-2001. In the words of one veteran Sacramento columnist, he is “an intense bundle of energy, and an all-night negotiator.” The Los Angeles Times said, “he loves big ideas and will flush out every one of them if you give him a chance.” The Los Angeles Daily News said he “has relentless dedication and indefatigable energy…[and] he has a reputation for integrity and perseverance.” Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said Mr. Hertzberg is “…someone I trust … He is someone that, for many things and many decisions I make, I rely on his judgment.” Recently, in August 2026, he was named one of the TOP TEN most influential in the CAPITOL WEEKLY’s TOP 100 in California’s State Capitol.
In the twelve years between his service in both houses of the California legislature (2002-2014), Mr. Hertzberg was a partner in the Global Trade and Government Practice Group of the international law firm Mayer Brown, LLP, in Los Angeles with Former Commerce Secretary and Trade Representative Mickey Kantor. He also worked extensively in the global climate and energy sector as chairman of several renewable energy companies in the United States and Europe. As a consequence of his work, he was recognized by the Guardian Magazine in the United Kingdom as one of “50 People Who Could Save the Planet.” He won the World Bank Award (“Lighting Africa”) for a project in Rwanda and was recognized as a “Force for Good” by Tomorrow’s Company in the United Kingdom. The Western Mail recognized his work as the “Welsh Innovation Company of the Year,” as did the United Nations with the “Wind Made Award” for his UK company that manufactured solar technology using a wind turbine. His work was also recognized by CNBC Business as one of the “Top 100 Low Carbon Pioneers” and the Wall Street Journal’s “Award for Innovation” in the field of energy.
Currently Mr. Hertzberg is the author and proponent of The California Middle-Class Homeownership and Family Construction Act” which will appear on California’s November 2026 Ballot. It is a 3% downpayment program that differs extensively from the many existing program: No first time homebuyer restriction, cash flow underwriting instead of reliance on credit scores, only applies to brand new construction in an effort in increase housing supply (estimated to result in more than 190,000 new homes in California, provides significant incentive to lenders, and a customer friendly process without government red tape, reforms construction defects litigation by capping attorney fees and providing developers the right to repair, homebuyer retains 100% of appreciation. Funded by private investors and the Legislative Analyst opined that “there is no state or local taxpayer costs.”
Further, in his private life, Mr. Hertzberg has extensive real estate experience as an equity owner in various hotel and commercial properties, developer of for-sale and affordable housing and as a co-author of a real estate law book published by the University of California Press (1983 and second edition in 1994).
Other examples of Mr. Hertzberg’s civic engagement and service include: two terms as Chair of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (2004 and 2011), Chair of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Board Member of the Southern California Leadership Council, Board of Councilors at USC Price School of Public Policy, Member, Board of Advisors, Pepperdine School of Public Policy, Member, Board of Advisors, Rose Institute, Claremont McKenna College, Senior Fellow, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, Former Board Member at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Chair of Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa’s Transition Team, member of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Transition team, and Co-Chair of two Los Angeles City Attorneys’ Transition Teams.
A 1979 graduate of the University of California San Francisco School of Law, Hertzberg has been named “One of the Top Ten Lawyers in Los Angeles” by the Los Angeles Daily Journal, and one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California” on multiple occasions by the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Mr. Hertzberg lives in Ventura County, California with Dr. Katharine Tellis, a professor at California State University, Los Angeles. He has two sons: David, a classical music composer and Juilliard graduate, and Daniel, a political activist. He has a daughter, Athena Grace who will be president of the United States one day.
www.roberthertzberg.com
