Rebecca Smith Named 40 Under 40 by Sacramento Business Journal
October 29, 2021
Downey Brand is proud to announce that Rebecca Smith, a partner in the firm’s water law practice, has been recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Sacramento Business Journal.
Becky is an exceptionally talented water and public agency lawyer who has established herself as a reliable, well-known, and thoughtful mainstay at the firm, in her community, and in the world of California water law. She works as a valued partner with public agencies, farmers, water service providers, and flood control districts, tailoring her counsel to help them succeed. Becky has served as a lead in complicated, statewide negotiation sessions, as a standout and industry leader on groundwater issues, and as a key resource and voice for water supply and planning issues in the agricultural and municipal sectors. She serves as general counsel to more than a dozen different public agencies and special counsel to many more.
Outside of work, Becky stays busy serving on three different community service boards. In 2019, she was invited to join the Water Education Foundation Board after completing its premiere water leaders program. She also serves as Vice Chair for the Woodland-based Center for Land-Based Learning and on the Board of Trustees for the Sutter Davis Hospital Foundation, where she currently serves on the steering committee for the hospital’s expansion funding.
“Becky is a generous and natural-born connector, who approaches every interaction asking: how can I help,” said Scott Shapiro, the firm’s managing partner and water law colleague, when asked why he nominated Becky for 40 Under 40. “She is an emerging leader who already has a strong hand in shaping our region’s water policy, civic leadership, agricultural connection, and big heart. She loves what she does both in the office for her clients and in the community for our region.”
Above all, in addition to a demanding professional life, Becky is a devoted mother of three children under six. Together with her husband, Charles, they spend time gardening, caring for a small menagerie of animals, and maintaining the active, wild pace that young children demand.
40 Under 40 honorees are selected each year by a panel of independent judges who evaluate nominees—all professionals under the age of 40—based on their accomplishments in the workplace, leadership qualities, and civic service. This year’s judges were all former 40 Under 40 honorees in addition to members from the Sacramento Business Journal’s editorial team.