FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Ruth Ruiz, (714) 765-5060 office, (714) 420-7797 cell
ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS MICHAEL HOUSTON AS CITY ATTORNEY
ANAHEIM, CA – (July 3, 2013) The Anaheim City Council last night approved the appointment of Michael Houston as City Attorney, effective today. Houston has been serving as interim City Attorney since March 1.
“I am pleased to welcome Michael Houston to the permanent seat of City Attorney for the City of Anaheim,” said Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait. “I look forward to his service to the community of Anaheim and know that he will work hard as our City’s chief legal advisor.”
“It is an honor to be selected as the City Attorney and I promise my full energy and dedication to the City and community. I’m humbled to have the unanimous support of the City Council as I enter this role,” said Houston.
As City Attorney Houston will lead the department that provides legal advice and services to the City Council, City officials, staff, departments, boards, commissions and related City entities and enterprises. The department protects the interests of the City and its taxpayers, and assures that actions by, or on behalf of, the City and its related entities are in accordance with all applicable legal requirements.
Houston joins Anaheim from the firm of Cummins & White, where he served as a partner since 2011. Prior to joining Cummins & White he was a partner at Rutan & Tucker, LLP, and was an associate at the global law firm Gary, Cary, Ware and Freidenrich (now DLA Piper). He has served as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of La Quinta and has provided legal counsel for the cities of Chula Vista, Corona, Costa Mesa, Marina, Napa, National City, Newport Beach, Pico Rivera, and San Diego. Houston graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, and received his Juris Doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law.
The City Attorney is one of four positions that report directly to the Anaheim City Council. The City Manager, City Clerk and City Treasurer are also at-will positions appointed by the Council.
For more information on the City of Anaheim, please visit www.anaheim.net.
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ABOUT ANAHEIM –The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation’s premier municipalities and is one of California’s most populous cities. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 343,000 residents and more than 2,950 City employees. The municipal corporation’s annual budget is $1.6 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with companies such as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc., L-3 Communications, Pacific Sunwear, and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises call Anaheim home, including Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks, the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team, the 2012 Olympic Games Silver Medal winning U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, and the Professional Arena Soccer League Anaheim Bolts. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, LEED-certified and the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, City National Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. In addition, Anaheim embraces its vibrant cultural arts community, including the world-renowned Anaheim Ballet. Annually, Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors to the city, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net.