By Robert Haugh
According to official court filings, indicted Vice Mayor Anthony Becker is being assisted by two partners at the Goodwin Proctor law firm in addition to his court-appointed public defender, Christopher Montoya.
Santa Clara News Online (SCNO) broke the story a few weeks ago that the assistance of Goodwin Proctor partner Grant Fondo likely violated a state law that prohibits gifts of pro bono legal services.
According to a long-standing California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) advice letter, pro bono legal services cannot exceed the current gift amount for elected officials of $590.
Former FPPC Chair Ann Ravel told SCNO in a later story that she saw Fondo’s services as a state gift law violation.
SCNO has reviewed court filings that indicate that Becker has the services of a second Goodwin Proctor partner, Hayes Hyde.
According to the law firm’s website, she is “a partner in the firm’s Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice and a member of the Securities and White Collar Litigation and Investigations Unit in its Digital Currency + Blockchain Technology and Cannabis Practices.”
According to multiple legal sources, partners at the global law firm charge $1,000 per hour each or more.
Last year, the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s office reviewed Becker’s finances to confirm that he could not afford private counsel and was entitled to a taxpayer-funded public defender.
Assistant Public Defender Charlie Hendrickson says that Goodwin Proctor is part of a program that the Public Defender’s office has established that uses the pro bono help of private law firms on complex cases.
But Goodwin Proctor hasn’t participated in the program for approximately eight years.
“Goodwin Proctor has assisted with one other white-collar fraud case to my knowledge,” wrote Hendrickson in an email. “That was the one in 2015-2016.”
“I worked with Grant Fondo on a tax fraud allegation case in 2006-2007 when he was with Cooley Godward.”
Also according to Hendrickson, he personally reached out to the Goodwin Proctor law firm for help.
Court documents suggest that it was Becker himself who decided to retain the law firm and the two partners.
When asked by SCNO, if the the Public Defender’s office has reached out to the FPPC about the private counsel representation of Becker, he responded: “We did not.”
This is a developing story.
[…] Then in a mysterious and unprecedented move, Becker got two private attorneys to help him. […]
[…] raises questions about Becker receiving an illegal gift. According to former FPPC Chair Ann Ravel, Becker cannot receive pro bono legal services from his private attorneys: Grant Fondo and Hayes Hyde of the Goodwin Proctor law […]
Becker gotta fess up. Come clean. When folks know what you did, especially the Fppc and DA, you is done done done. Resign. And let’s rescind all the votes and motions you made to help Jed. Yeah!
Prey tell – how is this a such a complicated case that outside council is needed? This is simply a case about leaked material. Why does the DA’s office need crypto/pot attorney experts for this?
Maybe it’s not for Becker at all – perhaps to stop the association/incrimination of Jain in this matter
Goodwin is the lead lawyer on the John Fisher Vegas basball stadium.