Denver's search for a new City Attorney has reached a pivotal moment, as Mayor Mike Johnston officially put forth Miko Brown as his choice for the position, a decision that's now in the hands of the City Council for confirmation, the Mayor's Office announced yesterday. In a career spanning more than 20 years, Brown's resume showcases her expertise in litigation, crisis management, and civil rights, recently holding the position of Associate General Counsel at Airbnb, where she steered global legal teams on a wide array of challenging issues.
"Miko is a transformational leader whose career reflects a deep commitment to justice, equity, and public service, from the courtroom to the boardroom she has brought integrity, innovation, and courage to every challenge – whether representing major institutions, leading on civil rights issues, or building legal teams at the highest levels of business," Mayor Johnston said, as per City and County of Denver. Miko Brown, if confirmed by the City Council, will succeed Katie McLoughlin, who served as acting City Attorney following the departure of Kerry Tipper earlier this year.
Describing the nomination as the “honor of a lifetime,” Miko Brown emphasized her passion for public service and her vision for Denver's future, grounded in fairness and communal strength, she told the Mayor's Office. Before her stint at Airbnb, Brown practiced as a first-chair litigator and was a staunch advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her efforts earned her the Minority Corporate Counsel Association's George B. Vashon Innovator Award, thanks to her leadership in founding the Women in Leadership Lecture Series.
Recognized on both local and national platforms, Brown's work in advancing DEI conversations is augmented by her role as Board President of Law School…Yes We Can, a program assisting underrepresented students to pursue law careers, and her past presidency of the Colorado Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Growing up in Denver, she attended Manual High School. Meanwhile, McLoughlin, who has steered the City Attorney's Office during this period of transition, will return to her post as Deputy City Attorney once the nomination process concludes.
