The part-time mayor of a small city is a licensed attorney w…
The part-time mayor of a small city is a licensed attorney who is also in a law partnership with another attorney. Under the city’s charter, the mayor has the authority to determine what issues are to be placed on the city council agenda. Several council members have told the mayor that they would like to see a zoning ordinance placed on the agenda. This proposed ordinance would ban commercial development of a certain area with the city. The mayor’s law partner has been retained as attorney for a development company that has acquired land in the proposed noncommercial zoning area and has plans to construct a large shopping center there. The development company opposes the proposed zoning ordinance. The mayor has agreed to take no direct role in the representation and not to share in any legal fees from the case. May the mayor’s law partner represent the development company in this matter?