A founding partner in the firm, Paul J. Yoder has earned an impeccable reputation among Sacramento decision makers during his long career as a legislative advocate. Clients praise Paul’s vast institutional knowledge, and his propensity for always making them feel like they are his highest priority.
Paul represents dozens of local governmental entities both in legislative and regulatory matters. His duties and experience include drafting legislative language; reviewing, tracking and analyzing bills, laws, and regulations, testifying at hearings; coordinating legislative strategies with other interest groups and related associations; and, maintaining liaison with clients regarding pending legislative issues; and developing strategies to move client interests forward.
After beginning his advocacy career as a lobbyist for the County of San Diego, Paul joined Gerber and Associates, Inc., where he lobbied for many of the firm’s public clients, including counties, water agencies, transit agencies, and solid waste interests, as well as the firm’s corporate clients. In 1998, Paul joined with Joshua Shaw to acquire Gerber and Associates, Inc. The firm was subsequently renamed Shaw / Yoder, Inc., then Shaw / Yoder / Antwih, Inc. prior to becoming Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange. Concurrent with these metamorphoses, the firm acquired three other Sacramento lobbying firms and grew itself into a perennial occupant in quarterly Top 10 rankings in California.
Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Yale University. He has completed all the course work towards a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and Administration, at California State University, Sacramento.