The Royal Oak City Commission unanimously approved an employment agreement with Aaron Leal to serve as city attorney effective June 14.
"I believe Mr. Leal has a wealth of experience," said Commissioner Monica Hunt. "We are very lucky to have him coming in."
Leal, who will replace former City Attorney David Gillam, has 16 years of experience in municipal law. He has been serving the fast-growing City of Denton, TX (population 148,000) in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area since 2011. He has been in the role of city attorney for Denton since 2017.
"After conducting a thorough national search and an interview process involving multiple highly qualified candidates, we are excited to welcome Aaron to the Royal Oak city organization," said City Manager Paul J. Brake. "I am looking forward to working with him in gaining new perspectives to this key leadership role."
The city attorney serves as the legal adviser for the city and for all its officers and departments. Among his duties, Leal will be responsible for the preparation of development agreements, contracts and insurance policies, and will manage all civil litigation for the city.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Leal received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Indiana University School of Law. He began his law career in Grand Rapids, MI. He and his wife are looking forward to returning to Michigan to be nearer to immediate and extended family.