Former Reagan Staffer Named Law Partner

Hugh Hewitt, a former White House assistant counsel, and two other lawyers have become partners in the law firm of Pettis, Tester, Kruse & Krinsky.

Hewitt, 35, has been affiliated with the Irvine law firm since 1989 in an “of counsel” position. He is the firm’s expert on federal administrative and environmental law and represents Orange County clients with legal matters in Washington.

Before joining the White House staff of former President Ronald Reagan, Hewitt was special assistant to former Attys. Gen. William French Smith and Edwin Meese. He has also served as deputy director and general counsel of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

While at Pettis Tester, he has been executive director of the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation and director of the Nixon Library. After the library opened in July, 1990, he became a member of the foundation’s board of directors.

The two other lawyers who became partners are Carole Stevens, 32, an associate of the firm since 1988, and John Yeager, 33, an associate since 1989.

Stevens specializes in real estate and business litigation, while Yeager specializes in public finance, land use and environmental law.