Rockard J. Delgadillo

Rockard "Rocky" Delgadillo is a partner in the Real Estate, Energy, Land Use & Environmental Practice Group in the firm's Los Angeles office.

Areas of Practice

Rocky has more than 30 years of experience in litigation, economic development transactions, and government law and public policy.

Rocky served an eight-year tenure, the term limit, as the City of Los Angeles City Attorney. As the city's chief lawyer and chief criminal prosecutor, he led more than 550 attorneys who comprise the second largest municipal law firm in the nation. Rocky was the first Latino to win citywide office in more than 100 years when he was elected in 2001. Running unopposed, he was re-elected in 2005 to a second four-year term.

During his tenure as City Attorney, Rocky implemented a number of innovative programs to further his vision of a better and safer Los Angeles. His top priorities included fighting crime, improving the quality of life in local neighborhoods and reducing the city's civil liabilities. In his first term, Rocky more than tripled the number of gang injunctions, contributing to a steep decline in crime in affected areas. Throughout his tenure, he helped make neighborhoods safer by implementing the neighborhood prosecutor program and by reducing the city's liability costs to free up millions of dollars to help pay for police and other crucial city services.

Prior to his election as Los Angeles City Attorney, Rocky was the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles for Economic Development, where he attracted new jobs to emerging neighborhoods. He created an efficient neighborhood-friendly approach to business development through the creation of the LA Business Team and, in four years, helped bring in billions in private investment to the city. As Deputy Mayor, in the wake of the Northridge Earthquake, Rocky worked with the late US Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown to attract and implement the Minority Business Opportunities Committee (MBOC) in the City of Los Angeles. Initially securing nearly $6B in MBE/WBE/SBE contracts, MBOC served as the inspiration for the City’s business diversity initiatives.

Rocky serves as an Owner and Executive Chairman of Los Cabos United, a new 3rd Division Futbol Club in Mexico. Rocky is the Founder, Owner and Chairman of ISMX, LLC, International Soccer Management Company. He is also the Founder and Chairman of the Los Angeles United Futbol Academy (LAUFA), one of the premiere Youth Soccer Academies in the United States and part of the MLS Next Academy System.

Additionally, Rocky is the Founder and Chairman of HUBcities Technologies, a start-up technology company and software developer, developing game-changing data platforms, utilizing Blockchain methodology to connect disparate data silos and provide real time data integration and analysis.

Experience

Rocky manages the legal work for:

• Strategic High-Profile Litigation Matters
• Strategic Corporate Governance Matters
• Strategic Government Advocacy
• Telecommunications and Technology Providers
• International Hotel Groups
• Green Energy Providers
• Disposition of Real Estate Assets
• Leading Food Brands
• National Retirement Communities
• Sports, Media & Entertainment Clients

Honors

• Recommended, Real Estate: Land Use / Zoning, The Legal 500 United States, 2023-2024
• Los Angeles Business Journal’s Minority Leaders of Influence: Attorneys List, 2021
• Los Angeles Business Journal's Most Influential Minority Lawyer Award 2019
• Golden Heart Award, The Midnight Mission
• Eagle and Badge Foundation Honoree, Los Angeles Police Protective League
• Keystone Honoree, Los Angeles Team Mentoring
• Columbia University Medal of Excellence, Most Distinguished Young Alumnus
• Robert F. Kennedy Award, Harvard Football
• Government Official of the Year, Los Angeles Business Journal
• St. Anne's Angel Award
• Humanitarian Award, Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services
• American Dream Program, Showcase Award by the National League of Cities
• Attorney of the Year, Hispanic National Bar Association

Media Mentions

Memberships

• Commissioner, Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission
• President and Founding Member, Los Angeles United Futbol Academy (LAUFA) 
• President of the Board, Benjamin Franklin High School Scholarship Foundation
• Elected Board Member, Harvard Alumni Association
• Board Member, Liberman Broadcasting (Spanish language American television network) 
• Board Member, East West Bank, Strategic Advisory Committee