DEPARTMENT: Office of the City Manager
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sheryl Sculley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-Wide
SUBJECT:
Appointment of City Attorney
SUMMARY:
This ordinance confirms the appointment of Robbie Greenblum as City Attorney
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City Attorney for the City of San Antonio serves as the head of the department of law. The City Attorney serves as Chief legal advisor to the City Council, City Manager and all City departments, offices and agencies. The City Attorney reports to the City Manager and represents the City in all legal proceedings and must be a resident citizen of the City of San Antonio.
Following a recruitment effort through position advertisements with the City of San Antonio, Texas State Bar Association, Bexar County Bar Association, International Hispanic Network (IHN), National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), Texas City Attorney Association (TCMA), and Lawjobs.com, a total of 43 applications were received for the City Attorney position. The applicants were of diverse backgrounds and experiences including both public and private sector work.
Upon review, the applicant pool was shortlisted to 5 applicants and interviews were held on Monday, November 18. The interview panel consisted of Deputy City Managers Erik Walsh and Peter Zanoni; Assistant City Managers, Gloria Hurtado and Carlos Contreras; Chief Human Resources Officer Joe Angelo, and City Manager Sheryl Sculley.
The recommended candidate, Robbie Greenblum is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and has been licensed to practice by the State Bar of Texas since 1988. Since 2009, he has served as Chief of Staff to Mayor Julián Castro and in that capacity he has worked on various significant initiatives including SA2020, Pre-K 4 SA, CPS Energy/SAWS utility policy issues and economic development projects. While practicing law for over 20 years, Mr. Greenblum's work addressed business, litigation, non-profit, property tax issues and also focused on legal representation regarding immigration and international law matters. Prior to his employment with the City of San Antonio, he worked with various law firms, including Illagan & Associates, Quan, Burdette, & Perez, Matthews and Branscomb, Simon Azar-Farr & Associates, and Foster Lewis Langley Gardner & Banack as well as Staff Attorney with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of Texas and the Refugee Assistance Council. He has represented clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, U.S. District Courts for the Western, Southern and Northern Districts of Texas, and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Mr. Greenblum received his Bachelor of Arts (Plan II) degree and Doctor of Juris Prudence from the University of Texas.
ISSUE:
Appointment and confirmation of City Attorney Robbie Greenblum
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council has discussed alternatives.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Personnel costs associated with this appointment are included within the FY 2014 adopted budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Request City Council confirmation of Robbie Greenblum as City Attorney as recommended by the City Manager.