IMLA Celebrates 2024 Awards Winners

13 Sep IMLA Celebrates 2024 Awards Winners

On September 26th and 27th during our 89th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, IMLA was able to announce and recognize our 2024 award winners. These award winners are IMLA members who have gone above and beyond the field of municipal law and were nominated by their colleagues to receive these awards.

The Charles S. Rhyne Lifetime Achievement In Municipal Law Award

The Lifetime Achievement in Municipal Law Award is the highest award given by IMLA. The award honors the recipient’s lifetime achievements in the field of municipal law and is a lasting commemorative to Charles S. Rhyne, the founder of IMLA and to his life’s work. The award is meant to recognize a truly uncommon individual.  In the field of municipal law, the public service performed and the achievements of the recipient during his or her lifetime are truly outstanding, have benefitted municipal attorneys both locally and nationally, and are so significantly above and beyond the call of duty and expectations for performance in the positions held that no other award would be appropriate.  Additionally, the services rendered by the recipient have helped move IMLA toward the goal and objectives established in its short and long-range plans.

Valerie Marie Robinson
Chair, Corporate & Tax Group – Philadelphia, PA

Valerie M. Robinson is the Chair of the Corporate and Tax Group for the City of Philadelphia Law Department.  Having begun her career as a summer intern in the office’s Special Litigation Unit, she rose through the ranks of the office as a transactional attorney.

In addition to overseeing the operations of the Law Department’s transactional and tax units, Ms. Robinson drafts and negotiates agreements for the commission of art work by the City, film projects, concerts at City venues and special events on City property.  Film and television projects she has worked on span from the 1990’s “Rocky 5” and continue through today with a myriad of feature films and television series, including the award winning Silver Lining Playbook, Creed and Abbott Elementary.  She was responsible for helping to bring the likes of the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight to Philadelphia.  Special event transactions she has worked on include Live 8, Elton John’s July 4^th benefit concert, Cirque Du Soleil, the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, both the RNC and DNC, the X Games, the City’s annual bike race, the Made in America Festival, the papal visit and the World Cup.  She also lead counsel on the City’s Covid 19 and Afghanistan evacuation operations.

In addition to being a dedicated public servant, Ms. Robinson is a proud sports mom, wife and active member of several national social service organizations.

IMLA James H. Epps, III Award for Longevity of Service To A Community

IMLA established this award to honor the memory of James H. Epps, III, who represented Johnson City, Tennessee as its attorney for over 40 years.  This award recognizes the significant achievement of attorneys having the political and legal skills necessary to represent the same community for at least 30 years and who have been active in IMLA during all or a part of that career.

Wendy Walberg
City Solicitor – Toronto, ON, CA

Since 2017 Wendy Walberg has led the legal department for Canada’s largest city with a team of 175 lawyers providing a full range of services to Toronto City Council, its committees, agencies, municipal boards and the Toronto public service.  She herself has practiced if a variety of practice areas during her career including municipal governance, intergovernmental relations, land use planning, employment law and general litigation and is frequently called upon for strategic problem solving to unstick files in a full range of areas.  Wendy is a member of the City of Toronto Senior Leadership Team.  She is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a specialist in Municipal Law (Local Government) and holds both an LLB and an LLM (Administrative Law) from Osgoode Hall Law School.   Wendy has written articles for Bar Association publications, IMLA and for the MPLR.  She has spoken at many events including for IMLA, Woman General Counsel of Canada, and the Ontario Bar Association.  She was a panelist on the Collingwood Judicial Inquiry and has been a guest lecturer at law schools.  Wendy was a member of the Board of Governors of Lakehead University from 2018 to 2022 and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the International Municipal Lawyers Association.

Debra Rosman
Assistant Director of Law – Cleveland, OH

Debra Rosman is an Assistant Director of Law for the City of Cleveland where she has served from April 1990 to the present. Debra began her career with the City as a real estate and development lawyer, where she served the Departments of Economic Development, Community Development, and Parks, Recreation and Properties. Her work involved providing legal opinions, negotiation of leases, loans, mortgages, deeds, easements, and licenses, including providing legal assistance related to the infrastructure of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the City’s Gateway Sports Complex which hosts the Cleveland Guardians and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 1992 Debra transferred to the municipal law section, where she primarily served the Department of Finance. Her work involved contract drafting, public records review, tax litigation and municipal borrowing. Debra’s work on municipal bonds assisted in funding for the expansion of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Flats East Bank mixed use development, and the East Fourth Street entertainment district. In addition, Debra works on the City’s annual General Obligation bonds, water bonds, and water pollution control bonds. Debra has acted as counsel for the Issuer, City of Cleveland, for over $2 billion dollars of municipal bonds. In addition, Debra has served on the City’s Board of Municipal Income Tax Review. Debra received a B.A. degree from Case Western Reserve University, Phi Beta Kappa, and she received the Madge M. McKinney Award for outstanding work in Political Science. She received her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University, Order of the Coif, and was the recipient of the Fletcher Reed Andrews Scholarship for academic excellence. Debra has a wealth of knowledge and experience and is well versed in her areas of practice. She is and continues to be an asset in her service to the City of Cleveland.

James J. Zwolak
Divisional Deputy City Solicitor – Real Estate Tax Unit – Philadelphia, PA

Mr. Zwolak is the Divisional Deputy City Solicitor for the City of Philadelphia Law Department’s Real Estate Tax Division, and supervises the Unit’s real estate tax and other municipal lien collections from foreclosures and lawsuits in various courts. He has also served as counsel to the City’s Board of Revision of Taxes, Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office and the City’s Office of Property Assessment. Mr. Zwolak has also served as the Philadelphia Bar Association’s restaurant critic for its monthly magazine since 2016. He received his B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany and his J.D. from Temple University School of Law.

Daniel J. Curtin, Jr. Young Public Lawyer Award

This award is established to honor the memory of Daniel J. Curtin, Jr. by recognizing a new practitioner who exhibits those qualities that made Dan one of the truly remarkable lawyers working on behalf of public clients. In addition to the traditional qualities of excellence in the practice of law, the award seeks to recognize a public law practitioner who has provided outstanding service to the public and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards and who revels in maintaining a life that balances a passion for professional excellence and the joy of family and friends. In addition, the award seeks to recognize a person who exhibits qualities of openness and humility coupled with a sincere concern for the interests of others, including the professional development of newer practitioners.

Aarin Miles
Senior Assistant City Attorney – Durham, NC

Aarin is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University (B.A.) and Elon University School of Law (J.D.). Aarin began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney with the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Aarin later transitioned to the City of Asheville City Attorney’s Office where she focused primarily on Infrastructure projects and work with various departments to include to Water Resources, Transportation, and Public Works.

Aarin joined the City of Durham as a Senior Assistant City Attorney in July 2022 where she provides legal support to the Planning, Community Development, Water Management, and Public Works Departments, and serves as the Liaison to the City of Durham Manager’s Office for the legislative agenda.

Aarin enjoys working in the public sector as she gets to see the real and tangible affects that her work has on the community. She also greatly enjoys working with law students and helping the next generation gain interest in working in municipal law, as evidenced by her role and work with the North Carolina Association of Municipal Attorney’s Recruitment and Engagement Committee.

Aarin’s ultimate joy is spending time with her family, husband Dylon and son Luka. Being a mother is the best thing Aarin has ever done. Additionally, Aarin loves to hike with her two fur babies (Dawson & Leia) and is a huge Star Wars fan and loves most fantasy and sci-fi shows and books.

Brown, Mulligan, Rocha Distinguished Public Service Award

This award is established to honor a local government attorney for significant and surpassing achievements in the field of local government law occurring or culminating in the previous year.

In the past, this award was known as the Joseph I. Mulligan Distinguished Service Award.  The additions of Benjamin Brown and Susan Rocha, however, both reflect IMLA’s rich and diverse history as well as its continued recognition and celebration of local government attorneys who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to further the practice of municipal law.

Like Mulligan, Benjamin Brown and Susan Rocha each brought honor to the practice of local government law and exemplified the traits the award seeks to recognize.

The award’s original namesake, Joseph Mulligan, was a former IMLA president and committed public servant, serving as the City of Boston’s Corporate Counsel and Licensing Commissioner.

Benjamin Brown served as Baltimore’s City Solicitor, as well as an Associate District Court Judge and a Deputy State Attorney for Baltimore City.

Susan Rocha began her legal career as an assistant city attorney for the City of San Antonio. She also created the Texas Attorney General’s first Office of Municipal Affairs and went on to become a partner with Denton, Navarro, Rocha & Bernal, where she served as the City Attorney for the Cities of Buda, Cibolo, Roma, and San Felipe, in addition to serving as general counsel for a variety of other public entities.

Robyn Katz
Assistant City Attorney – Austin, TX

Robyn is an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Austin, where she primarily works with the public safety departments, such as the Austin Police Department, Austin Regional Intelligence Center, and the Austin Fire Department.  Robyn is also a consultant for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, where she provides legal guidance concerning animal cruelty cases to law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the country. She currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio, where she has been teaching Animal Law for the last 6 years.  Robyn has extensive experience in criminal prosecution of animal cruelty cases, as she served as an Assistant District Attorney for two counties in Texas. Throughout her tenure as a prosecutor, she primarily handled family violence and animal cruelty matters, and provided training to law enforcement and prosecutors in Texas regarding the same. Robyn also spent several years as City Attorney for several Central Texas cities and has previously served as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Animal Law Section. Prior to, and during her career as an attorney, Robyn served as a public school teacher for two Title I schools, and created the Law Program at Akins High School in Austin, Texas. Robyn’s passion for the community extends beyond the legal and education field; she mentors a local elementary school child on a weekly basis through the Seedling Organization, a nonprofit that focuses on mentoring youth who have been affected by parental incarceration.  She also spearheaded the drive for the City of Buda to incorporate a menorah in its holiday decorations, and now for the first time in its history, Buda has an annual menorah lighting during Chanukah. A fierce advocate for animals and people alike, Robyn enjoys spending her time volunteering at animal shelters, traveling with her husband Chris, enjoying time with her two rescue dogs, Pedro and Basil, and cheering on the Michigan Wolverines.

William I. Thornton, Jr. IMLA Faculty Award

IMLA established this award to honor the memory of William I. Thornton, Jr. by recognizing a person dedicated to IMLA and to the practice of local government law and who has participated as a member of the IMLA faculty in helping local government attorneys learn about or reaffirm their knowledge of issues important to their practice of local government law. In addition to the traditional qualities of excellence in the practice of law, the award seeks to recognize a practitioner who has provided outstanding service to the public and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards and who is devoted to mentoring young lawyers and educating lawyers in local government law.

Alan Bojorquez
Managing Attorney – Texas Municipal Lawyers

Alan is Managing Partner of a municipal law firm based in Austin, Texas.  He received his BA, MPA and JD from Texas Tech University.  Alan proudly serves on the IMLA Board of Directors and is author of the Texas Municipal Law & Procedure Manual.

Outstanding State League Counsel Award

IMLA established this next award, the Outstanding State League Counsel Award, to honor those attorneys who serve as counsel to their state league of cities or association of counties, towns or other local government entities and who are recognized for their valued service to the members of their organizations and for their skills as attorneys.  Like other IMLA awards, this award expects the recipient to exhibit the traditional qualities of excellence in the practice of law, but also seeks to recognize a practitioner who has provided outstanding service to local governments and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards and who is devoted to improving local governments.

Kraig Conn
General Counsel – Florida League of Cities, Inc.

Mr. Conn joined the Florida League of Cities in 1989 as a lawyer and lobbyist and has served as its General Counsel / Chief Legal Officer since 2017. In addition to handling the League’s general corporate activities, he lobbies the Florida Legislature and executive branch agencies.  Mr. Conn practices in all areas of municipal law, focusing on land use, personnel, and finance and tax matters. Additionally, he serves as counsel to the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust, Florida Municipal Investment Trust, Florida Municipal Pension Trust Fund, and Florida Municipal Loan Council.

Mr. Conn received his J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law and B.A. from Washington and Lee University.  He is active with the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association and the City, County and Local Government Law Section of the Florida Bar.  Mr. Conn is an AV rated lawyer in Martindale-Hubbell and has been Florida Bar Board certified in City, County, and Local Government Law since 2007.

Recently, Mr. Conn guided the League, along with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration – NASA, in obtaining a joint U.S. patent for composite materials and method of making the materials using recycled plastics and glass. The patent culminates a multi-year research program designed to divert materials from being sent to landfills. The next step for the League and Mr. Conn is the commercialization of the method and materials.

Brad D. Bailey Assistant City/County Attorney Award

The Brad D. Bailey Award is established to honor the memory of Brad D. Bailey by recognizing a public law practitioner who has provided outstanding service to the public and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards and who revels in maintaining a life that balances a passion for professional excellence and the joy of family and friends.

Jennifer Marie Avendaño
Deputy City Attorney – Brownsville, TX

Jen graduated from the University of Michigan in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Upon graduation, she began a career in the pharmaceutical industry at Parke Davis and then on to Glaxo Wellcome which eventually became GlaxoSmithKline.

In 2003, Jen started law school at Thurgood Marshall School of Law where she was the editor for student publications with the Earl Carl Institute for almost two years and interned with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in the Welfare Fraud Division. She achieved awards in law school for highest rank in her classes for Business Law, Civil Rights, and Appellate Litigation (Writing and Research).

Jen’s legal career as a licensed attorney began with the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office where she represented the State of Texas in CPS cases. She continued in the office as a misdemeanor and felony prosecutor handling cases from intake to trial, eventually becoming an appellate attorney for the office in which she wrote numerous briefs and presented oral arguments to the Court of Appeals. With over ten (10) years of experience at the CCDA, she then moved on to private practice and then into the practice of municipal law where she has been employed with the City of Brownsville for over five (5) years. She is currently the First Assistant City Attorney and this year’s recipient of the Brad D. Bailey Assistant City/County Attorney Award.

Daniel Cantú-Hertzler
Senior Attorney – Philadelphia, PA

Following two years as a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and 11 in private practice, Dan has counseled the City of Philadelphia for 25 years, serving 10 City Solicitors.

Dan’s primary current role is to ensure that the City can enter into contracts that are lawful, effective, and consistent with City policy and practice.  He advises both City clients and other City lawyers concerning the contracting and financial provisions of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, Philadelphia Code of Ordinances, and pertinent executive orders.  He also serves as primary counsel in matters concerning the City-owned gas utility and the City board that sets rates for its Water Department.

Dan has mentored many other lawyers, and has participated in the Law Department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in its various iterations over more than two decades.  He was awarded the first Inspector General’s Joan Markman Award for Integrity in 2015.

Dan received a B.A. in German from Goshen College and a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School.  Married for 43 years so far, he enjoys gardening, hiking, music, and family outings.

Burk E. (Buck) Delventhal Legal Advocacy Award

This award honors the life and legacy of Burk E. Delventhal, known to all as Buck. Buck served as a Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco for almost 50 years from 1970 to 2019. He carried a legal library in his head and the history of San Francisco and its community in his heart.  Buck was not just the oracle of the City Charter, a highly accomplished courtroom attorney, and the go-to person for tough legal questions. Buck was a beacon. He was a beacon of inspiration, trust, and boundless optimism. He was a legal lion and an even better person. His distinguished legal career is summarized in the award description on our website.

The award recognizes the work of an attorney of an IMLA member in legal advocacy and education who has demonstrated superior professional skills in advancing the interests of the nominee’s clients and of local government generally, and who, through litigation, legislative work, and educational efforts, has advanced the health, safety, and welfare of the community or communities the attorney has served.

Gerard Lavery Lederer
Partner – Best Best & Krieger LLP

Gerry has served as an advocate for local government in Washington since he traveled South from Philadelphia in 1984 to serve as the Director of the City of Philadelphia’s Washington Office.  He would go on from that position to serve six years as the Assistant Executive Director and General Counsel of the United States Conference of Mayors.  In 2001 he joined Nick Miller and Joe Van Eaton to represent local governments in the telecommunications/cable space.

Over the last quarter of a century, he has served local governments:

• in transactions (cable franchises, cell tower agreements, and right of way agreements)
• as an advocate before Congress, the FCC and some of the individual states) and
• Understanding that the best advocates for local governments are its elected and appointed officials, he has spent a large part of his career as an educator here at IMLA, at the Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, Association of Counties, individual state leagues and various private continuing legal education efforts.

J. Scott Moede
Chief Deputy City Attorney – Portland, OR

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota 9-13-1963.  Graduated from Carleton College in 1985.  Graduated from University of Minnesota Law School in 1988.  Judicial clerkship for the Honorable Stephen Askew, 1988-1989.  U.S. Department of Justice Honors Attorney program from 1989-1994, and during his tenure was awarded Outstanding Attorney of the Year awards in 1990 and 1991 and appointed as a Senior Trial Attorney at age 29.  Moved to Portland, Oregon in 1994 and entered private practice with Greene & Markley from 1994-1997.  Started with the Portland City Attorney’s Office in 1997-present (27 years) and current position is Chief Deputy of the Litigation Section for the last 10.5 years; the longest tenure in that position.   Moede has represented the City and hundreds of its employees in various types of lawsuits over the last 27 years and has tried a wide variety of cases in state and federal courts.  In 2021, Moede received the Significant Practitioner Award from the Oregon City Attorney’s Association.  Moede volunteered for the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic through Lewis and Clark Law School for 17 years, coached soccer and baseball and was a member of various legal organizations including the Owen M. Panner American Inn of Court where he served on the Executive Committee for many years.  Moede is the father and parent to six wonderful children and is married to Gizel Gervais.  Moede plans to retire in 2024.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

IMLA is committed to supporting members who embrace diversity as part of their core values and we are excited to provide a way to recognize the people that are leading these efforts. Diversity covers the variety of cultures, experiences, expertise, and viewpoints that offer value in every community and are incorporated into the fabric of every community. Diversity encompasses age, education level, ethnicity and race, gender expression and identity, nationality, national origin, physical and mental ability, religious perspectives, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status and other human differences. By embracing diversity, municipalities and their law departments attract and retain skilled and talented employees dedicated to excellence in providing service to the community and to their clients. Nominations were accepted for an individual’s or a group’s efforts, initiatives or programs that promote diversity and inclusion values within their local government, office or community.

Zachary Strassburger
Deputy City Solicitor – Philadelphia, PA

Zachary G. Strassburger (they/them) joined the City of Philadelphia Law Department in 2019 as an appellate litigator, but now does Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. They co-chair the Law Department’s DEI Committee and help to lead the City of Philadelphia LGBTQ Employee Resource Group. The groups have marched in Philadelphia’s Pride parade, held many events with distinguished guests, and created networks of support for diverse employees. Zach’s favorite Law Department experience was getting to work on the 2020 election cases. In 2023, they co-wrote the City of Philadelphia’s Inclusive Language Guide, which gives legal professionals guidance on how to write more inclusively.

Zach earned an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and a J.D. from the Yale Law School. After law school, Zach completed an Equal Justice Works fellowship at KidsVoice in Pittsburgh, PA working with youth with mental illness in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Zach then taught as an Assistant Professor of Child Advocacy Studies at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota for several years before serving as the sole law clerk in a rural one-judge county in Minnesota. In their spare time, Zach enjoys camping, public libraries, and spending time with their three children.

San Jose City Attorney’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee
San Jose, CA

The San Jose City Attorney’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee was established in 2022. The group consists of a group of attorneys and professional support staff who have volunteered to work on the committee.

The committee has facilitated dialogue in the office about issues such as inequity and race through book club readings and discussions, and continuing legal education programs centering on DEI topics such as transgender rights. We have undertaken outreach efforts for underserved communities in San Jose by serving as justice partners with the Court, speaking to fifth graders in underserved schools about the legal profession and Constitution through an equity and social justice lens. We also started a professional clothing drive to support local public defenders’ office “closet” providing lightly used clothing available to criminal defendants during trial and other court appearance.

The Committee has coordinated luncheons and other events to celebrate heritage months. The heritage luncheons celebrating diversity in the workplace have helped create an inclusive work environment where all of our employees are encouraged to share their ancestry and family stories, foods, and cultures. This year, we also organized a local art walk for our legal interns to discuss the legal process for our public art and explore themes of social justice.

President’s Award

In 2001, the Board of Directors established two new awards.  These recognize the achievements and contributions of first, an IMLA State Chair or Provincial chair, and second, an Associate Member over the course of the past year.  The recipients are selected by the President with the advice and counsel of the IMLA Board and Executive Director.

Outstanding State/Provincial Chair

Darren Shulman
City Attorney – Upper Arlington, OH

Darren Shulman is city attorney for Upper Arlington, Ohio.  Darren’s public service career also includes serving as the City Attorney for Delaware Ohio, Associate Legal Counsel for the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, and as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.  In 2023, Darren was appointed by the Governor of Ohio to the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission.  Darren is also a member and past chair of the Ohio Electronic Records Committee.

Darren has been a member of IMLA since 2011, which means he has played poorly in approximately 12 IMLA softball games and one tennis outing.  Darren was certified as a local government fellow in 2018 and recertified in 2023.  Darren currently serves as the IMLA state chair for Ohio and served on this year’s IMLA nominating committee.

A graduate of Northwestern University and Harvard Law School, Darren has written movie reviews through a legal lens for Ohio Lawyer, the Ohio State Bar Association member magazine.  Darren is also the current president of the Friends of the Columbus Zoo and a prior Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Alpha Group, a non-profit agency that provides employment, quality rehabilitation, and adult day support services for individuals with disabilities.  Darren and his wife Marsha have a five year old daughter named Parker, who is excited to meet Elsa at Disney World even though she hasn’t seen the movie Frozen.

Outstanding Associate Member

Andre Monette
Partner – Best Best & Krieger LLP

Andre Monette is a partner and member of the Environmental & Natural Resources practice group at Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) as well as the managing partner of BBK’s Washington, D.C. office. He works with both public and private clients in matters involving water quality issues and with water districts, cities, counties and agricultural interests, and other private entities on matters involving the Federal Clean Water Act and its state law analogues. Andre assists public agencies and farmers on matters involving water rights, water supply and water quality and provides counsel to investors interested in water projects, helping funds assess the viability of potential water related investments.

A major area of focus for Andre’s practice is the intersection of the water quality and water supply regulation. Federal and state laws across the nation divide water quality and water supply regulations into separate categories that often do not intersect and can preclude efficient use of the supply. Andre’s practice focuses on areas of overlap where acute knowledge of multiple regulatory schemes is required, including; streambed restoration, groundwater recharge projects, indirect potable reuse projects, large scale recycled water projects, and effluent limitation compliance.