Ralph Kleps was born in Batavia, New York, on February 4, 1914. He received A.B. and LL.B. degrees from Cornell, was admitted to the California Bar in 1939, and practiced law in San Francisco.

Fred B. Wood was born in Tecumseh, Michigan, on June 15, 1888. He received A.B. and J.D. degrees from Stanford University.

Thomas M. Gannon was appointed by Governor F. W. Richardson. He was a member of the Sacramento Bar and a franchise tax expert. He was appointed to the State Board of Prison Directors, and was a Member of the 1925 Commission for the Reform of Criminal Procedure. After leaving the position of Legislative Counsel, he served as an examiner for the State Railroad Commission and as assistant chief State Building and Loan Commissioner.

John A. McGilvray was born in 1882; he practiced law in Sacramento and served as a deputy legislative counsel. He was appointed as Legislative Counsel by Governor F. W. Richardson, but left office after a short time to take a position on the State Industrial Accident Commission. Later, Mr. McGilvray served as chair of the Sacramento County Civil Service Commission and as counsel for the California Press Association and the California Newspaper Publishers’ Association.

Arthur P. Will was born in Walter’s Falls, Canada, on January 11, 1868. He received an LL.B. and LL.M. from the University of Michigan. Mr. Will was the first Legislative Counsel. Prior to the appointment, he was a practicing attorney in Los Angeles, with experience in legal authorship and special investigations. After serving six years, he resigned to take the position of referee of the Land Title Court of Los Angeles County. During wartime, he served as Federal Director for California of the United States Public Service Reserve.

Bion M. Gregory received his A.B. degree from Stanford University in 1962, and his J.D. from UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law) in 1968. He served as Legislative Counsel from 1976 through 2001. Prior to practicing law, he served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy. Mr. Gregory was a deputy legislative counsel from 1968 to 1970, and Chief Counsel to the Senate Committee on Judiciary from 1971 to 1976. Mr. Gregory served as President of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws from 1995 to 1997.

Diane Boyer-Vine was appointed Legislative Counsel of California on June 6, 2002.

Ms. Boyer-Vine joined the office in 1988. During her tenure with the office, she has worked on issues involving the state budget and sat with the budget conference committee for one year. She was also involved in representing the California Legislature in various litigation actions, including assisting in preparing the amicus curiae brief before the United States Supreme Court in Keller v. The State Bar of California.