Del Mar ‘Super Lawyer’ May Challenge Incumbent District Attorney Dumanis

A Del Mar attorney once profiled as a “Super Lawyer” has taken the first steps to challenge District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who confirmed Thursday that she plans to seek a fourth term as the county’s top prosecutor.

Robert Brewer, a veteran lawyer now in private practice, has filed papers that will allow him to explore whether to become her first challenger.

Brewer, 66, used to be a state and federal prosecutor and was a decorated Army paratrooper in the Vietnam War.

“San Diego County residents deserve a district attorney who will effectively prosecute criminals, put ethics and fairness ahead of politics in the justice system, and be fully committed to the office of district attorney,” Brewer said.

“While I anticipate making a formal announcement of candidacy later this year, I have begun securing endorsements and raising the considerable funds necessary to compete successfully in a county that has a population larger than 12 states.”

The Del Mar resident, who is married to U.S. District Judge Irma Gonzalez, said he has received positive feedback from community leaders, current and former prosecutors, and law enforcement and legal professionals.

A Dumanis campaign spokeswoman sent City News Service a statement that announced the district attorney’s plans.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished in the DA’s office during my tenure, including maintaining one of the highest conviction rates in the state of California,” said Dumanis, first elected in 2002 and a Republican candidate for San Diego mayor a decade later.

“In my next term, I look forward to working with our extraordinary team to pursue justice and put even more innovative crime prevention programs in place to keep our neighborhoods safer.”

Dumanis has twice been re-elected without opposition. However, she ran a sluggish campaign for San Diego mayor last year and came in fourth in the June primary election, despite dozens of high-profile endorsements.

In her statement, she said she is focused on her work to protect the public since the election is more than one year away.

According to a biography of Brewer on jonesday.com:

Bob Brewer is recognized as a leading white-collar crime and government investigations attorney. He defends clients in matters involving wage and hour/employment class actions, civil and criminal fraud, professional negligence, business and commercial torts and contracts, securities and shareholder derivative suits, health care fraud, qui tam actions, and contract and intellectual property disputes. A former state and federal prosecutor, Bob has handled cases involving espionage, bank robberies, distribution of narcotics, and civil rights violations.

Bob has represented officers, directors, and employees in civil litigation cases and as a white-collar criminal defense attorney. Prior to joining Jones Day, he was lead trial counsel in a 2005 class action jury trial in federal court involving an FLSA claim for overtime, resulting in a unanimous jury verdict for RadioShack. He also led defense counsel in the nationwide FLSA case, Perez v. RadioShack, involving more than 3,500 class members. Bob has represented several San Diego Superior Court judges who have been the focus of investigations, including Michael Greer, who was indicted for bribery in 1996. In 1989 Bob was co-counsel for ex-mayor of Del Mar, California, Nancy Hoover, in a nine-month federal securities fraud trial.

Bob is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The U.S. Attorney General awarded Bob two special commendations for his service as an assistant U.S. Attorney, and he was featured on “60 Minutes” for his successful 1981 prosecution of Polish spy Marion Zacharski.

—City News Service contributed to this report.