King Hall Community Mourns Gary Hernandez '84

Gary Hernandez '84, a nationally recognized insurance regulatory lawyer and community leader, died unexpectedly on May 27, 2011.  He was 52 years old.  A memorial service will be held on June 23 at 2 pm at the San Francisco Four Seasons Hotel.

Gary Hernandez was born February 15, 1959 in Merced.  He graduated from Merced High School, attended UC Berkeley, and earned his legal degree at King Hall, where he was commencement speaker for the Class of 1984.  After graduation, he joined the California Department of Insurance, where he served as Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement, before going into private practice at Long & Levit. In 1997, he joined the law firm of SNR Denton and became the founding chairman of the Firm's Insurance Regulatory practice. 

Hernandez was as prolific writer and speaker in numerous insurance industry settings and a tireless community volunteer.  He served on the board of directors of the California Coastal Conservancy, the Latino Community Foundation, and San Francisco Legal Aid Society, and was a founding trustee of the University of California, Merced Foundation.  He was named one of the Most Influential Hispanics of the United States, and his many civic honors included being named California Attorney of the Year in 2004 and one of the 50 most influential minority lawyers in America.  He is survived by his wife Teri, his sister Barbara Hammond and his nephew, Noah.