Politics & Government

U City to Replace John Mulligan as City Attorney

University City is replacing longtime City Attorney and Prosecuting Attorney John Mulligan.

It appears the City of University City is replacing John Mulligan Jr., as its longtime City Attorney and Prosecuting Attorney.

On the agenda for Monday's City Council meeting is a recommendation from City Manager Lehman Walker for approval of an agreement with Paul Martin to serve as City Attorney for University City. If approved, the agreement would become effective Tuesday, Nov. 15.

University City Patch contacted Mulligan on Monday, November 7th for comment regarding the status of his employment with the city. He directed Patch to contact Walker for any comment concerning his employment. In an email to Patch the same day, Walker stated he does not comment on personnel issues.

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Mulligan recently finished a term as President of the Missouri Municipal Attorneys Association (July 2010 - July 2011). Last month, he was designated a Super Lawyer by The Thomson Reuters legal publishing company.

In December 2009, Missouri Lawyers Weekly selected Mulligan as “Lawyer of the Year” for his work in a class action suit against AT&T, which paid millions of dollars to more than 200 cities across Missouri. On January 12, 2010, the St. Louis County Council approved a resolution congratulating Mulligan on being singled out for the, “highly coveted award." He was also lauded by the City Council in U City with a Proclamation on January 25, 2010 for his service on the AT&T suit. The proclamation said he was, "an oustanding role model of what a University City public servant can and should be."

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"John Mulligan's passion for municipal law and persistence led to recovery of owed taxes placed in city coffers," read the Proclamation.

Mulligan received millions of dollars in lawyers' fees on the AT&T suit - spurring a lawsuit by several U City residents, who later dropped their suit.

Meanwhile, prospective City Attorney Paul Martin currently serves as special counsel to U City. According to the information provided in the agenda packet, he is currently the City Attorney for several municipalities in the St. Louis region; such as Olivette, Ellisville, Rock Hill, St. George and Crystal Lake Park. He started his own firm in 2008.

According to the service agreement, the City will pay Martin's firm at a rate of $150.00 per hour for attendance at regular meetings of the City Council and for all general contacts with city officials (telephone, e-mail or letter) and $175.00 per hour for all other work.

Walker is also recommending that the city approve a $30,000 contract to retain the firm of Crotzer and Ormsby to provide City Prosecutor services for U City.


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