Richmond accepts city attorney resignation, names Shannon Moore interim and begins recruitment

The Richmond City Council accepted the resignation of the city attorney and approved a transition plan that includes (1) a legal services agreement with Alshire/Winder LLP to continue work on major matters, (2) Shannon Moore serving as interim city attorney with a temporary compensation adjustment, and (3) issuance of an RFP to hire a recruitment firm to lead the permanent city attorney search.

A city attorney office spokesperson explained the steps to ensure continuity: council must accept the resignation, approve a legal services agreement to allow ongoing work to continue, and authorize an interim appointment while a recruiting firm is selected. The interim appointment for Shannon Moore includes a temporary increase in pay (presented as approximately 15% in the staff presentation) and temporary deferred compensation in a 457 arrangement. The council directed staff to bring an RFP for recruiting firms back to the subcommittee and then to the full council for approval.

Why it matters: City attorney recruitment is a council‑level decision because the city attorney reports directly to the council. The selected recruitment firm will help define candidate qualifications, conduct outreach, and manage finalist interviews for a council decision.

Next steps: Staff will draft the RFP for recruiting firms, the subcommittee will review proposals and recommend a firm, and the hired firm will manage the candidate search and selection process, including stakeholder interviews and finalist screening.