Prominent Activist Amy Margolin of Howard Rice and PG&E Face New Scrutiny as Scandal Spreads
A former member of the now-defunct, San Francisco-based law firm of Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin has been identified as a potential wrongdoer in a civil inquiry into the peculiar circumstances surrounding familiar faces and a familiar utility company, in the context of two relatively unknown non-profit entities — IGS and CSCHS
Prominent LGBTQ activist and appellate law specialist Amy E. Margolin (who currently practices out of the Novato-based appellate boutique Bien & Summers) is being looked upon for indications she may have acted as a middleman and conduit for alleged financial improprieties in various legal proceedings involving Pacific Gas Electric & Company ("PG & E "), the California Public Utilities Commission ("CPUC"), former CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, private judge Joseph Grodin, and Howard Rice, the firm that represented PG&E.
Those various state, federal, and CPUC proceedings involving PG&E primarily relate to proceedings stemming from California’s energy crisis, as well as the 2001 bankruptcy proceedings and subsequent 2007 litigation in which the State of California accused PG&E and its parent company of usurping and hiding assets.
The civil inquiry, conducted by Yolo County’s YR, views Margolin — who was part of the legal team which represented PG&E — as someone who may potentially have a played a role in this misconduct, although this investigation is continuing.
Unfortunately, Margolin’s association with Howard Rice alone creates concern. As readers may recall, Howard Rice is a firm which YR has previously managed to discredit on two occasions in matters involving a) In Re Girardi / Howard Rice’s special prosecutor Jerry Falk and b) Geoffrey Brown / Douglas Winthrop (managing director of Howard Rice), who both served as directors of the California Bar Foundation in connection with PG&E’s Ophelia Basgal of CaliforniaALL, in the context of allegations of financial improprieties.
Hence, when examining the circumstances surrounding the California Supreme Court Historical Society ("CSCHS") and discovering the presence of PG&E; PG&E’s Ophelia Basgal of CaliforniaALL, who served as the “Treasurer” of CSCHS; Amy Margolin, and private judge Joseph Grodin, whose legal opinion Bill Lockyer and Jerry Brown relied upon in deciding to dismiss the case against PG&E, it is difficult not to question whether any misconduct has taken place in this setting given the prior history between Howard Rice and PG&E.
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▻http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2013/02/10/prominent-activist-amy-margolin-of-howard-rice-and-pge-face-new
