Byron Rodriguez

Teresa Wall-Cyb

2012-06-01 09:25:22 AM

Byron Rodriguez, 35, partner

VLP Law Group

In just over nine years of practice, Rodriguez has built a profitable, community-minded real estate practice while holding multiple leadership roles for his firm and nonprofit organizations. At VLP Law Group, he chairs the firm's real estate group and until recently, the risk management committee. His practice reaches national developers — helping one acquire four affordable housing projects in Hawaii — and touches his locale. In the San Francisco Bay Area, he helped three neighborhood health centers capitalize on new tax credits or tax-exempt 501(c)(3) bonds in the acquisition, development and financing of new facilities. The scope of his community service includes regular pro bono work and volunteer hours with nonprofits such as the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, Spark and San Francisco Beautiful, where he is vice president of the board of directors.

What word best describes you?

Friendly.

Most interesting place you've traveled?

Maybe Zambia. My wife and I went on a walking safari there to see white rhino. The guides had machine guns to shoot poachers. We came across snares for the rhinos. We eventually got within about 50 feet, which was about as close as I wanted to get to a wild rhino.

Guilty pleasure?

Video games.

Most unusual hobby you've ever had?

My father and I collect 16th and 17th century maps of Puerto Rico.

Name a lawyer you admire and why.

My wife, who is an assistant U.S. attorney. She routinely prosecutes some of the most violent criminal organizations in the country and has won every one of her trials.

What kind of law would you least like to practice?

Landlord/tenant law in San Francisco.