Abilene Lawyer to Serve as San Angelo’s City Attorney

Theresa James, who has served as the managing assistant city attorney in Abilene for more than nine years, has been hired as San Angelo’s city attorney, effective July 13.

James’ hire was announced after the City Council discussed it in executive session during today’s meeting. She succeeds Lysia Bowling, who resigned from the post in March after five-plus years with the City.

James was selected from among 25 applicants from across Texas and out of state.

“I’m confident my time in Abilene has prepared me well for serving San Angelo,” James said. “San Angelo and Abilene share not only many like issues, but our communities, our local governance, our cultures and our sensibilities are very comparable. I look forward to joining a progressive community that’s on the rise and to shouldering the additional responsibility of serving as the city attorney.”

A 2000 graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s law school, James earned the Susan Rocha Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Assistant City Attorney in 2011 from the Texas City Attorneys Association. As managing assistant city attorney, she supervised the support staff and managed procedures of the Abilene city attorney’s office while advising 12 departments and divisions along with the Abilene City Council. Those departments include Water Utility, Public Works, Human Resources, Police, Fire and Finance.

She has served as legal counsel during meet and confer salary negotiations with firefighters and police officers, represented the City of Abilene in civil service proceedings and drafted ordinances on issues ranging from illegal dumping to oil and gas drilling.

“Theresa is bright, hard-working, capable and affable,” City Manager Daniel Valenzuela said. “She’s a terrific fit from the standpoints of skill, style and demeanor. We were also impressed by her abundant enthusiasm to join not only our team, but our community.”

James earned her Certified Public Manager certification in 2011, graduating in a class that included a number of City of San Angelo directors and managers. She has addressed a number of state associations and conferences on topics ranging from regulating synthetic drugs to building relationships between community and local government.

James earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Oklahoma. After earning her law degree, she worked five years as a hearings examiner for the Texas Workforce Commission before joining the City of Abilene in 2006.