Mayanne Downs, City Attorney at the City of Orlando, is one of the city’s highest-paid employees.
Mayanne Downs working as Orlando City Attorney attends to the legal business of the City and gives legal advice in all City matters referred to her by Mayor Buddy Dyer and/or City Council or by the officers of the City relative to their duties.
The Orlando City Attorney is also responsible for the prosecution and defense of civil actions brought by or against the City and provides legal advice at Council meetings. The office also responds to requests from the Mayor, Council and city staff to draft or review contracts, ordinances and other legal documents.
Per a recent West Orlando News public records request, Mayanne Downs earns a monthly retainer of $16,797.00, or $201,564.00 in retainer payments on an annualized basis.
Records provided by the City of Orlando included a 2012 Professional Services Agreement between the City of Orlando and Mayanne Downs, City Attorney, although it was with her previous company GrayRobinson. She recently left that firm to start her own firm, but she remains Mayor Buddy Dyer’s City Attorney. The City of Orlando did not provide any updated materials on Downs’ pay in the recent WON records request.
According to the agreement, the Orlando City Attorney’s duties shall include but not be limited to the following:
- Serve as principal legal advisor to the Mayor, City Council, and Chief Administrative Officer.
- Attend City Council meetings, agenda conferences, and related briefings.
- Meet with City officials and Council members for consultations as needed and be available to meet with the Mayor on a regular basis as scheduled by the Mayor’s office.
- Monitor all litigation involving complaints by or against the City and keep the Mayor and City Council advised on the progress of said matters.
- Represent the City in negotiations with third parties.
- Represent the City when necessary at inter-governmental and inter-agency meetings.
- Plan, organize, direct and review the operations and activities of the City’s Attorney’s Office, including providing recommendations on department budget and personnel issues and supervision of attorney and non-attorney staff.
- Engage, oversee and coordinate private attorneys handling work on behalf of the City.
Visit the Attorney’s Office website for more information. Is the Orlando City Attorney’s salary worth it for taxpayers? Check here for more salaries of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s executive staff.
