René Alejandro Ortega Joins Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger as New Partner
August 26, 2022Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger is pleased to announce that René Alejandro Ortega has joined the firm as a new Partner.
“We are so pleased to have René join us here at Shute, Mihaly,” said Richard S. Taylor, Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger’s managing partner. “With his expertise in municipal law, housing, land use, and litigation, Rene brings a terrific combination of skills to the firm.”
René comes to SMW most recently from the City of San Jose, where he served as Chief Deputy City Attorney and advised the Housing, Planning, Parks, Environmental Services and numerous other departments. He has also served as Planning Commissioner for Redwood City, land use counsel for a major university, and environmental counsel for various regulated entities. He has appellate litigation experience in state and federal courts.
René earned a BA from UC Santa Cruz and his law degree from Boston College Law School. He was named a Connecticut Super Lawyer in Environmental, Land Use/Zoning, and Appellate Law.
“I am excited to continue my public interest practice with Shute, Mihaly, providing counsel to public agencies and nonprofit clients as they seek to advance environmental and community values,” said René. “My mother and father immigrated from Mexico to the United States in the 1970s, and because of their sacrifice and dedication to us, their children, we each got the opportunity to attain our educational and life goals while also getting the opportunity, within each of our roles, to advance equity among underserved and underrepresented communities.”
When he is not working, René loves to travel the state with his wife and teenage son to discover new hiking places and appreciate all the state has to offer. He recently moved to Marin County and is looking forward to exploring the diverse landscape of the surrounding area.