Assembly selects Robert Palmer to be next Municipal Attorney
The City and Borough of Juneau is pleased to announce that Robert Palmer is the new Municipal Attorney. The Juneau Assembly selected him during the August 29 Special Assembly meeting. The position recently became vacant when former CBJ municipal attorney Amy Mead was appointed to be Juneau Superior Court Judge.
Palmer has been a CBJ Assistant Attorney since 2014. In that role, he provided legal counsel to multiple city departments and the Planning Commission, negotiated complex contracts, and litigated a variety of property, personal injury, and tax cases. He’s well-versed in CBJ issues and is excited to work more closely with the Assembly.
“I am committed to public service and am looking forward to the challenge of filling the void left with Amy Mead’s recent appointment to the Juneau Superior Court. I enjoy the blend of legal work at the CBJ and helping the municipality find solutions to its legal questions,” Palmer said.
CBJ’s municipal attorney is supervised by the Assembly. Following Mead’s appointment to the bench, the job was widely advertised. After applying and being identified as a candidate, Palmer went through a pre-interview and background check process with CBJ’s Human Resources Department. He was interviewed by the full Assembly during a Special Assembly Meeting August 28. Palmer will be paid an annual salary of $140,000.
“Robert has a firm grasp on present litigation, current community issues and has worked with city departments, enterprise boards, and the school district. He has also built solid relationships with fellow employees in the Law Department and has a vision to utilize everyone’s strengths,” Mayor Ken Koelsch said.
Prior to coming to Juneau, Palmer worked for a private law firm in the Seattle area. He also had a diverse career prior to practicing law. For more than 10 years, Palmer worked at a large ski area managing a ski patrol program in the winters. In the summers, he worked for the National Park Service as a park ranger, a law enforcement officer, and as a wildland firefighter supervising a 20-person crew.
For more information, contact Human Resources Director Dallas Hargrave at 586-0225 or [email protected].