Palm Beach County names David Adi county attorney after closed-ballot selection

The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners selected David Adi as the county attorney after interviewing four finalists and conducting a ballot vote. The board read ballots during the meeting and the mayor announced Adi as the choice; the mayor will negotiate a contract with Attorney Kaufman on the board’s behalf.

The selection followed public interviews with finalists Kay Denise Hare, Michael Jones, Michael Napoleone and David Adi. Each candidate outlined plans to strengthen the county attorney’s office, focusing on three recurring themes: improving internal communication and mentoring, modernizing legal research and case management with technology, and producing timely, written legal guidance so department leaders and commissioners face fewer surprises at board meetings.

"I am board certified in local government law," Kay Denise Hare said, underscoring her background in municipal practice and board-level advising. Michael Jones, who has worked in the county attorney’s office for decades, emphasized institutional knowledge and supervisory experience. Michael Napoleone, a long-time Wellington elected official, argued his elected-office experience helps him "understand the unique pressure you are under to make decisions under public scrutiny." David Adi, who served in the county attorney’s office for 20 years, said he would offer "proactive legal advice" to anticipate disputes before they become litigation.

Technology and efficiency emerged as a frequent topic. Several candidates described recent efforts to upgrade research tools and integrate AI-driven products, arguing those steps speed legal research and help the office compete with private firms. "AI is going to replace lawyers who don't know how to use AI with lawyers who can," Michael Napoleone said during the discussion.

Commissioners pressed candidates on culture and retention inside the county attorney’s office. Multiple finalists proposed reinstating formal performance reviews, regular office-wide staff meetings and mentorship programs to reduce turnover and improve collaboration between litigation and transactional teams.

The board also sought clarity about conflicts with other offices and full-time status. Commissioner Powell noted the board expects the county attorney role to be full time and not to be combined with an outside private practice. During discussion, Commissioner Flores asked whether one finalist—Mayor Napoleone—would remain in his elected post if selected. Napoleone said he would resign the Wellington mayoralty effective the date of the March election if chosen, asking to avoid leaving that office short-handed in the interim. County negotiator Attorney Kaufman said the county charter does not allow holding both offices simultaneously and that, practically, the candidate would not be under contract until any dual-office issue were resolved.

After the vote the board directed next steps beyond the hiring decision. Commissioners asked staff to study precinct alignment for three Century Village buildings (about 113 voters) and asked the Countywide Transportation Master Plan consultant to consider how future land-use changes should factor into countywide traffic modeling. Administrator Brusso and County administration publicly congratulated Adi and said they expect to work closely with the new county attorney.

The board’s formal hiring decision will be followed by contract negotiations between the mayor and Attorney Kaufman. The county did not announce a final contract or effective start date at the meeting.