Attorneys

Jim Worth is an experienced attorney with over three decades of legal practice, currently with McMurtrey, Hartsock, Worth & St. Lawrence since 1992. Jim’s main area of practice is the representation of governmental agencies, with an emphasis on water districts serving both municipal and agricultural water supplies. He possesses extensive knowledge in a variety of areas including water
rights, real property matters, environmental issues, eminent domain, transactional matters, and Brown
Act compliance. Jim has successfully represented both public and private clients on matters before the State Water Resources Control Board. He is also experienced in litigating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) matters, insurance coverage disputes, and pre-1914 water rights issues.

Jim enjoys the variety of his work as legal counsel for public agencies, where he handles almost all of their legal needs, including water, environmental, transactional, human resources, and more. A typical day for Jim involves responding to emails, attending board meetings, and working on different projects. When facing a challenge, Jim handles it head on, doing the hard work and letting the rest take care of itself. While Jim is proud of his work, his biggest accomplishments have happened outside of his work, as he is most proud of his four children and his wife of 33 years and what they have accomplished.

Jim is licensed by the State Bar of California, and a member of the Kern County Bar Association, American Bar Association and the Association of California Water Agencies. In his free time, Jim enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and playing golf.

Jim’s advice for prospective lawyers is to investigate the job. Most attorneys spend very little time in court and instead work in an office like any other job. He believes most portrayals of attorneys are glamorous and far from the truth.

Jim’s best advice? Once you make a decision, do it!

Education:

• B.A., Economics, San Diego State University, 1986
• J.D., California Western School of Law, 1989

Associations:

• State Bar of California. Admitted June, 1990
• Kern County Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Association of California Water Agencies

Isaac St. Lawrence’s practice is concentrated in the areas of Agricultural and Water Law; Corporate/Business Law; Real Property and Public Agency representation. Since 2006, Isaac has counseled public entities; namely water districts that provide agricultural or municipal water, small business owners, and landowners. Isaac has participated in all aspects of litigation, including serving as lead counsel in several CEQA litigation matters and real property disputes. He is designated to be the primary attorney responsible for many of MHWS’s clients, handling matters ranging from Kern River water disputes to personnel matters. Isaac’s practice is increasingly focused on small business representation, and he is experienced in company formations, reorganizations, and sales. He has served as lead counsel for the formation of Groundwater Sustainable Agencies and continues to guide clients through this new legislation.

Isaac is known for his respectful and thoughtful approach and has a reputation for solving problems. He most enjoys the people that he gets to work with; hard-working, down-to-earth farmers, businessmen, and entrepreneurs. He strives to outwork and overcome challenges and finds it most rewarding to help good people achieve their goals, mitigate liabilities, and navigate the legal world.

His advice for prospective lawyers? You must have a passion for the job. It is not the profession seen on TV; it is hard work, long hours and requires a lot of dedication. When not in the office, you can find him playing with his two young daughters, coaching their sports teams, out to dinner with his wife, or out on the golf course.

Education & Achievements:

• Attended Northland International University, Dunbar, WI
• Graduated from Oak Brook College of Law with a Juris Doctorate in April 2003
• Passed the July 2003 California Bar Exam
• Admitted to the California State Bar on January 6, 2004
• Founding Board Member of the Young Lawyers Section of the Kern County Bar Association and past President 2004-2010
• Served as Kern County Bar Association Board Member from 2010-2017
• President of the Kern County Bar Association in 2016
• Dean of External Affairs of the Kern County College of Law

Amanda M. Rodriguez has deep roots in Kern County where she was raised to appreciate the value of community and hard work. Amanda graduated from Garces Memorial High School and then attended California State University Long Beach. Amanda came back home and further pursued her education at Monterey College of Law, earning her Juris Doctor. While in law school, Amanda participated in the Roger J. Traynor Moot Court Competition where she received a Merit Award for Oral Argument. Amanda also received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. Upon completion of law school and passing the California Bar Exam, Amanda joined the firm as a full-time associate.

Amanda represents public and private clients in a variety of matters, from Brown Act compliance to Mutual Water Company formation. She also provides assistance with ongoing litigation and SGMA compliance. Amanda relishes the opportunity to help people and is dedicated to getting the task done quickly and efficiently.

When asked what she would tell prospective lawyers, Amanda advises that, as cliché as it may sound, passion is an important element of a successful career. It not only drives you to enjoy work, but it also helps you overcome challenges in the workplace. Practicing as an attorney is challenging and you will hit bumps in the road or begin to doubt your abilities; passion is one of the things that will keep you moving forward. Choose an area of law you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.

When not in the office, you can find her out with her dogs, traveling, or exploring local restaurants.