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About the City Attorney's Office

The City of Austin Law Department is a mid-size, in-house law firm averaging 60 attorneys.  The department meets the vast majority of the City's legal needs, ranging from areas as diverse as animal control to zoning.  The City Attorney is appointed by the City Manager and cannot provide legal advice to private citizens on personal legal matters. Instead the City Attorney provides legal advice and representation to the Mayor, City Council, City Officers, City Manager, city departments, boards and commissions of the City. Our key activities are to advocate and resolve disputes, to review and develop contracts, and to render opinions and advice.

Over the years, the Law Department has striven to develop "subject-matter" experts in certain demand areas, while maintaining a balance of full-service lawyers to meet the City's overall legal needs.  The Department is organized into several functional divisions:

  • Litigation Division
  • Land Use & Real Estate Division
  • Municipal Operations Division
  • General Counsel Division
  • Criminal Prosecution Division
  • Open Government Division
  • Utilities and Regulatory Division
  • Financial Group
  • Administration and Human Resources

Additional Information

Deborah Thomas, City Attorney

With over 25 years of experience in municipal law and public service, Deborah serves as City Attorney for the City of Austin. She leads a legal team of more than 115 attorneys and other professional staff, providing strategic counsel to elected officials and city leadership on complex legal, governance, and policy matters. Over the course of her tenure with the City, she has held several key positions, including Chief of the Land use and Real Estate Division, Deputy City Attorney, and Interim City Attorney.  Deborah has guided the city through major development projects and critical negotiations. Deborah has a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center, a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Pennsylvania State University.