City Attorney

Biography

Patty L. Akers practices in the areas of municipal law and public law. She has over 24 years of legal experience representing cities and local governments. Her current focus is upon representing cities as City Attorney and in land use development and environmental issues. In addition, she routinely handles zoning, subdivision regulation, annexation, utility development, and the review, evaluation and revision of municipal ordinances that are related to such issues.

Representative Experience

Patty currently serves as City Attorney for Wimberley, Bee Cave, Marble Falls, and Presidio; and has represented El Paso, Dayton, Gilmer, Van, Junction and several other cities in the last year on land development and annexation issues. She has advised her municipal clients in all areas of public law from municipal ordinance drafting and compliance with the open meetings / open records laws to special issues related to water and wastewater utilities, ethics, real estate acquisition and development, and economic development.

In addition to her experience as city attorney, Patty has represented many clients before the TCEQ, and its predecessor agencies, on matters relating to municipal solid waste permitting, and solid and hazardous waste disposal and remediation, and air quality permitting.

Prior to joining Bickerstaff, Heath in 2000, Patty served as senior environmental counsel for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and prior to that position she served as environmental counsel for the Dallas and Fort Worth International Airport. Her experience with LCRA included solid waste permitting, remediation, and on-site disposal issues at all of LCRA's power plants and service centers.

Career Highlights, Honors and Appointments

  • Former Assistant City Attorney, City of Dallas
  • Former Assistant General Counsel, Texas Department of Water Resources (Predecessor agency to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)
  • Former Senior Environmental Counsel, Lower Colorado River Authority

Publications, Papers and Presentations

  • Environmental Regulations and Land Use and Development , Co-Author / Speaker, William "King" Cole Effective Local Government Series – Session II (Advanced) (April 2005).
  • Land Use and Economic Development Challenges Affecting and City Government , Co-Author / Speaker, Texas Leadership Institute Conference on Issues Affecting City Governments (November 2004).
  • Coal Combustion By-Products (CCPs) , Author / Speaker, EPA Listening Meeting on behalf of Texas Coal Ash Utilization Group (April 2004).
  • Regulating Land Use Through Contracts , Author / Speaker, TMCA City Managers' Problem Solving Clinic (February 2004).
  • Managing Environmental Risk Through Environmental Assessments, Environmental Audits, Environmental Management System, Author / Speaker 16th Annual Local Government Seminar (September 2003).
  • Combating NIMBY, BANANA and Other Barriers to Energy Development, Author / Speaker, Powering the Nation America's Need for Coal Generation (October 2002).
  • Mold and Sick Buildings , Author, 14th Annual Local Government Seminar (April 2001).
  • Inter-local Cooperation Contracts: Some Practical Tips for Counties ; Author / Speaker, Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association Continuing Education Conference (February 2001).

Educational and Professional Background

  • St. Mary's University School of Law (J.D.)
  • University of Texas at Austin (B.S.)

Admitted to Practice

  • The Supreme Court of Texas, 1980; United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; United States District Court for the Northern and Western Districts of Texas
  • Texas City Attorney's Association; International Municipal Lawyers Association; State Bar of Texas (Environmental and Natural Resources Section); Central Texas Chapter Air and Waste Management Association