ALBANY—The former executive director of Family Planning Advocates has joined the staff of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in the government relations department.
JoAnn Smith left the advocacy group this fall, and landed with Manatt, according to sources in the lobbying world and the firm's website.
It's the latest case of major firms bulking up on the left side of the spectrum ahead of changes likely to come in January, when Republicans may be relegated to the minority in the State Senate. Irene Liu reported earlier that Brian Meara now has former counsels to both the State Senate Republicans and Democrats on his staff.
Smith, an advocate of abortion rights, joins John Faso at Manatt. Faso falls in a slightly different place than Smith on the issue.
