by ANDY SEVILLA
The Texas Attorney General’s Local Government Affairs Section Chief has been hired on as Kyle’s first in-house city attorney.
Julian Grant, who has since 2003 been in the AG’s public finance division and local government affairs section, was hired to serve as the city’s first full-time attorney last week by a unanimous council vote.
“I am thrilled and honored to be the first in-house attorney for the booming city of Kyle,” Grant said.
Without much fanfare, council members reconvened after an executive session and voted to approve Grant’s $85,000 contract. He began with the city on Dec. 1.
According to the contract, Grant will be afforded a monthly $200 car allowance and a monthly cell phone stipend. He will be granted a $2,000 fund for continuing education, plus access to online legal books and journals.
Per the city’s charter, the city attorney, city manager and municipal judge are hired by and answer to the city council.
“I’m thrilled to work with someone with (Grant’s) qualifications, education and experience,” said Kyle City Manager Lanny Lambert.
Grant’s essential functions will include prosecution of violations in municipal court and attending and providing legal advice at regular and special meetings of the city council and city boards and commissions. He will issue oral and written recommendations, represent the city in litigation or coordinate the representation of the city, keep informed on state and federal decisions that could affect the operations of the city, provide legal counsel to the city management team and departments, answer public queries relative to legal matters, investigate complaints and claims by or against the city, direct prosecution activities and set policy for handling misdemeanor cases, supervise outside legal counsel approved by city council, and handle any and all other legal matters assigned by the city council.
Grant received his Bachelor of Arts in American History from Harvard University in 1989 and his Doctorate in Jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law in 1992. He has six children and is a certified Methodist Church layspeaker and district director of immigration and refugees ministries.
According to Grant’s resume, he has worked for the Texas Workforce Commission in the Appeal Tribunal; he also was a deputy city attorney for Temple from 1995 to 2002. In 1993, Grant worked as an associate attorney at Yarbrough, Jameson & Gray in Galveston, where he concentrated on ad valorem tax collection and general litigation practice focused on criminal and employment matters. He also worked as a briefing attorney to Justice Marilyn Aboussie in the Third Court of Appeals in Austin from 1992 to 1993.
In the same meeting, council members also approved an agreement for legal services with the law offices of Davidson Troilo Ream & Garza, P.C. to perform legal services on an as-needed basis for legal advice and opinions, prosecuting, defending or drafting documents on behalf of the city.
The outgoing contract city attorney, Frank Garza, will be the lead attorney in the law firm representing the city and will coordinate all work with the city attorney. Other attorneys in the firm are also authorized to participate in representation of the city.
Garza charges the city $200 per hour for general representation and special projects.