Surprise has got itself a new chief legal eagle. Jeffrey Murray has been appointed the new City Attorney, the Surprise City Council determined during their Tuesday session, as reported by the city's own news portal. Murray's ascension to this role follows his interim stint, which kicked in after his predecessor's resignation earlier this year in January.
With a legal career spanning over a quarter century, Murray isn't new to the game. He's been with the Surprise legal team since July 2018, kicking off as Deputy City Attorney and climbing up the ranks to Chief Deputy Attorney in 2023. His extensive legal experience includes a six-year gig as a founding partner at a firm that handled cases for Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool and public entities, dealing in general advice and litigation concerning contracts, elections, and real property disputes. Before that, he's done six years with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, where transportation issues were his bailiwick, including navigating through the murky waters of intergovernmental agreements and contracts.
Murray's educational credentials boast a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University and a J.D. from the University of Denver. His role as City Attorney involves being the chief legal adviser to both the Surprise City Council and City departments. He'll be representing Surprise in all legal proceedings and heading the City's legal department, packed with city prosecutors and the civil division, the city's announcement explains.
This top job is one of the six in the city that gets its occupant handpicked by the City Council. Alongside Murray, other appointees include the City Manager, City Clerk, City Auditor, and the City Court Presiding and Associate Judges.
