People: Louise Renne
SAN FRANCISCO CITY ATTORNEY
Name a hot issue involving city politics in San Francisco. Chances are, right at the epicenter is city attorney Louise Renne, '58, an activist lawyer who relishes catching piranhas, both in the Amazon, and in a metaphoric sense--having taken on such sharp-toothed adversaries as the Bank of America (earning 'California Lawyer of the Year' honors), the National Assoc. of Broadcasters, and the tobacco industry.
As the San Francisco Chronicle puts it, Renne 'put a bullet into Joe Camel' by winning more than $2.3 million in a historic settlement with R. J. Reynolds. 'We're only the third public entity to ever get money from the tobacco companies,' she notes. 'But the real battle will be in Congress.'
First appointed in 1986 by Mayor Dianne Feinstein, Louise just won her second reelection with no opposition--a rarity in San Francisco. She now runs a staff of 170 lawyers.
A native of Pittsburgh, Louise came to MSU, where her father Jack Hornbeck was football captain in 1928. Louise completed her bachelor's in three years, served as president of the Associated Women Students, and was named one of six outstanding seniors. 'I absolutely loved (MSU),' she says. 'The women in my sorority (Kappa Alpha Theta)--we still do an annual newsletter to keep in touch. And I've stayed in touch with my mentor, Dorothy Ross, who still lives in East Lansing.'
After earning her law degree from Columbia University, Louise headed to San Franciso with her husband. 'We have very dedicated people here,' she notes. 'They're everywhere, even in the airport, or the port--wherever legal issues arise.' Louise strongly touts the legal field. 'It's an honorable calling,' she explains. 'It's so diverse that it can accomodate every interest--whether it's science or math or the environment.'
Louise admits she has made some enemies. 'You can't help that when you're in this job,' she admits. 'But I still sleep well at night.'
