January 25, 2024
1:00pm – 2:00pm Eastern
Free to IMLA Members-CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply.
Local Government Council: Councilmembers Gone Wild! Tips on Dealing with Challenging Councilmembers
Description: This session will consider practical tips and strategies for the City Attorney in working with problematic City Council members.
Speakers: Patrick W. Baker & Kimberly Rehberg
Bios:
Patrick W. Baker was appointed to serve as City Attorney by the Charlotte City Council in March of 2019. In his role as City Attorney, he is responsible for providing policy and legal advice as well as transactional and litigation services to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, City Administration and all City Boards and Committees. This includes providing legal services in support of community safety initiatives, economic and neighborhood development, affordable housing and community building initiatives. The City Attorney’s Office is also responsible for providing in-house legal counsel to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT), and the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). To carry out these responsibilities, he manages a staff of 41 exceptionally experienced and well qualified employees, including 32 attorneys and 9 paralegals and administrative support staff. Patrick has practiced law since 1993 and has worked exclusively in municipal law and government since 1997. As an Assistant City Attorney in Durham, NC, he focused extensively on civil litigation. He defended police liability/Section 1983 claims as well as personal injury, contract and employment law claims. In 2004, Patrick was appointed by the Durham City Council to serve as City Manager. In that role he was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a city administration of over 2500 employees. During his time as City Manager, he played an important role in positioning Durham as a leading community for economic development and quality of life. This included the successful pursuit and implementation of public infrastructure municipal bond initiatives in excess of $150 million, completion of a major downtown streetscape project, multiple affordable housing initiatives, the construction and management of the nationally acclaimed Durham Performing Arts Center and the renovation of the legendary Durham Athletic Park, highlighted in the 1987 feature film Bull Durham. In 2008, Patrick returned to his legal roots when the Durham City Council appointed him to serve as City Attorney. In that role, he oversaw all aspects of legal and policy advice as well as transactional and litigation services to the Durham City Council and city administration with a staff of eight attorneys and three support staff. In 2019, he concluded his 21+ years of public service in Durham with his acceptance of appointment as Charlotte’s City Attorney.
Kimberly Rehberg has served as an in-house attorney for the City of Durham, North Carolina, since April 2005. After serving as litigation manager and lead attorney in all litigated tort matters for the first 14 years of her tenure with the City, she was appointed City Attorney by the Durham City Council in June 2019. Prior to joining the Durham City Attorney’s Office, Kim served stints as Assistant General Counsel for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, as an Assistant County Attorney for Durham County, and as an Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government at the UNC School of Government.
The daughter of a career officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and a nurse administrator, Kim spent the bulk of her youth on the North Carolina coast, growing up in Onslow County. Having moved to North Carolina at age 5, she considers herself to be a North Carolinian for life. A continuous resident of the Triangle since 1987, Kim lives with her husband Henry and their Australian Shepherd, Cooper. She has two young adult daughters and two young adult “bonus children”. When she’s not in City Hall, you’ll likely find Kim reading a good book on her back porch, pursuing her passion for Pilates, enjoying the outdoors, and, occasionally, “spoiling a good walk” with a round of golf. Kim holds degrees from the University of North Carolina (B.A. Psychology, 1991) and Duke University School of Law (J.D., 1994).