Counsel and Council: A Guide to Building a Productive City Attorney-City Council Relationship
This guide is intended to assist city council members and city attorneys in establishing and maintaining sound and productive professional relationships.
Among the issues addressed are these:
- The role and function of a city attorney.
- The recruitment, selection, and terms of engagement of a city attorney.
- Understanding the nature and parameters of the city attorney-city council relationship.
- Best practices for maintaining constructive city attorney-city council relations.
- Effectuating an amicable and enforceable conclusion to the relationship.
This guide is intended to give both city attorneys and city council members a common understanding of the nature of their relationship, with practical suggestions on structuring and maintaining that relationship in a positive way. In the end, both parties have a common goal: work together to help the city effectively and lawfully achieve its objectives.
Originally conceived in 2001 and produced in 2004, this guide was substantially revised and republished in 2022.