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Marylou Berg, Communication Manager, 240-314-8105
    

Rockville Mayor and Council Appoint In-House Attorney
Counsel to M-NCPPC Will Serve as City's Legal Advisor and Representative
 
ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 29, 2008 - The Rockville Mayor and Council have appointed Debra Yerg Daniel as the new in-house city attorney. Daniel will start Monday, Feb. 23.

Daniel, who has served as associate general counsel to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) since 1995, will provide legal counsel to the Rockville Mayor and Council, the City administration and boards and commissions, and will represent Rockville before courts and administrative entities at the state and federal level.
 
"We have found the right person to join our organization as our first in-house attorney in many years," said Mayor Susan R. Hoffmann. "We wanted someone with experience, particularly in land use, and someone who will understand the needs and demands of Maryland's second largest city."
 
The City Attorney reports directly to the Mayor and Council. She will be responsible for all facets of managing the day-to-day operations of the City's legal office. The City requires legal support to respond to claims and lawsuits; manage litigation of personnel matters involving more than 536 full-time employees; and to provide advice and counsel in the preparation of contracts, resolutions, ordinances and regulations.
 
The Mayor and Council began discussing in January the choice of maintaining the City's legal services as an outsourced function or whether to bring those services in house. After analysis, public hearing and discussion, the Mayor and Council decided to pursue hiring an in-house attorney.
 
Since 1989, the law firm of Venable LLP has performed the legal work for Rockville with Paul Glasgow serving as the city attorney.
 
"I am very grateful to Paul Glasgow, our city attorney, and Sondra Block, our assistant city attorney, for their many years of excellent legal representation and good counsel," Hoffmann said.
 
While with M-NCPPC, Daniel's most recent role has been to serve as lead counsel on planning matters to the five-member Montgomery County Planning Commission. During her 13-year tenure with the commission, Daniel has served in a variety of capacities.
 
"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with the City of Rockville," Daniel said. "It is the culmination of so many elements of my career into one role; and I couldn't be happier to have the opportunity to serve in such a great organization."
 
Daniel graduated cum laude with a juris doctorate in May 1993 from The George Washington University Law School. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1988 from University of Maryland.

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