Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Nancy Drabble

68. Nancy Drabble

In the Capitol, there is a definite lions and hyenas vibe to the eternal battles between business interests and the Consumer Attorneys of California. And nobody is more representative of the CAOC than its Executive Director, Nancy Drabble. For close to four decades she has been immersed in every major battle the organization has taken on, including last year’s epic tussle over California’s longstanding vehicle “lemon law” and this year’s effort to block California lawyers from sharing fees with a law firm that is part-owned by non-lawyers. But Drabble was an icon around the Capitol long before any of these measures, dating back to her role in the famous “napkin deal” negotiated by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown with tobacco companies, insurers, the California Medical Association and of course the trial lawyers over dinner at Frank Fat’s restaurant. We don’t know how long she’ll stay at the CAOC helm, but we do know she’ll be a force around the Capitol as long as she’s steering the ship.

Updated Aug. 26, 2025