Texas – An exclusive insight into the retirement decision of Austin’s City Attorney Anne Morgan who is set to retire this summer after serving the City’s law department for nearly two decades.

A Career of Public Service Comes to a Close

Anne Morgan, whose tenure as Austin City Attorney beheld the shifting landscapes of the local government and legal complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic, has announced her impending retirement. Announced through a memo from City Manager T.C. Broadnax, Morgan will see her 20-year service to Austin close at the end of June, with official retirement taking place later in the summer.

Central to Morgan’s reasoning for timing her departure was the current stability of her department, which she views is in “really good shape”. As City Attorney, Morgan has presided over the city’s law department which consistently handles civil litigation that could potentially cost Austin residents millions of dollars and host over a hundred employees.

Rising from the succession of counsel, Deputy City Attorney Deborah Thomas will step into the role of acting city attorney from July 1. With a service history embedding her in Austin’s Law Department since 1994, Thomas’s career includes positions as Senior Attorney and Division Chief over land use and real estate.

Following the transition, Morgan is expected to provide constant support as the City prepares to navigate its way through several ongoing lawsuits related to progressive updates to its land development code and zoning, amidst other legal battles.

Looking back at Morgan’s career, two notable landmarks find their home in the history books, as she played a major role in transitioning the City Council from being composed of at-large members to a division of 10 members, aside from the mayor, who now represent specific geographic districts.

Additionally, under Morgan’s guidance, the city successfully navigated itself through the onslaught of legal complications brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, triggering restrictions and ensuing litigation.

Final Thoughts: Morgan stated she originally considered retirement back in 2022, but given the ongoing administrative changes, she decided to postpone her departure to ensure stability within the city, ultimately providing a smoother transition for her successor.