The City Attorney’s Office has more than 200 years of combined legal experience and more than 130 years combined municipal law experience. The Office has held the merit certification in Municipal Law from the Texas City Attorneys Association since 2000, and each of our attorneys has also been recommended for merit certification. Our attorneys have a balanced background of experience from both the public and private sectors.
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Catherine Clifton, Interim City Attorney
JD, MBA, BA; Licensed in Texas; 17 years of municipal experience. Catherine is assigned to assist the Public Works and Public Affairs divisions, and also provides counsel in employment law and other areas as needed.
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Mack Reinwand, First Assistant City Attorney
JD, BA; Licensed in TX; IMLA Local Government Fellow Certification; TCAA Merit Certification in Municipal Law; 11 years of municipal law experience. Mack assists various departments, including Economic Development, Purchasing, and Finance.
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Trey Lansford, Deputy City Attorney
Deputy City Attorney Trey Lansford performs much of the real estate transactional work provided by the City Attorney’s Office. Trey assists various city departments, including DME, Engineering, Parks, and Water/Wastewater, with legal advice and recommendations regarding real estate ownership and title issues. He also drafts real estate transaction documents and associated ordinances and resolutions for City departments, and prepares eminent domain ordinances and motions.
Trey also helps prosecute, manage, and supervise condemnation cases with outside counsel, and leads all pre-litigation condemnation work resulting in cost savings to the City, and he provides legal advice and recommendation to the DME Real Estate and CIP teams. He serves as a backup attorney for the Public Utility Commission and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings.
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Stephanie Berry, Lead Prosecutor
Assistant City Attorney and Lead Prosecutor Stephanie Berry serves as the municipal court prosecutor and police legal advisor. As the lead municipal court prosecutor, she prepares documents for cases filed in the municipal court, assists citizens and officers in the preparation of probable cause affidavits for Class C misdemeanors, responds and files motions, and prepares written plea offers. Stephanie also serves as the Lead Prosecutor representing the State of Texas in all dockets, excluding Community Improvement Services dockets.
Stephanie represents the City in all dangerous dog hearings and red light appeals and assists in the preparation of probable cause affidavits and search warrants for OSSF (On-Site Sewage Facility) violation cases. She also advises the Animal Services department, and prepares ordinances for Traffic, Engineering, and Police. As the police legal advisor, she advises the department on complex legal issues, changes in law, and Constitutional issues.
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Michael Cronig, Deputy City Attorney
Michael Cronig was employed as a police officer for the Dallas Police Department from 1983-1991.Michael graduated from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia in 1994, specializing in employment and labor law, and has been licensed as an attorney by the State Bar of Texas since November 1994. Michael was in private practice in Dallas from 1994-2000 representing police officers, firefighters, and their employee Associations in employment related matters, including Internal Affairs investigations, disciplinary appeals, and Officer-Involved Shootings. In March 2000, Michael accepted a position with the City of Austin City Attorney’s Office as the employment attorney for the Austin Police Department. During his 20-year career with Austin, Michael was the employment attorney for the Police, Fire, and EMS Departments, representing those Departments during Internal Affairs investigations, disciplinary appeals, Officer-Involved Shootings, and Meet and Confer/Collective Bargaining contract negotiations and grievances. After retiring from Austin in April 2020, Michael was hired as the City of Denton’s employment attorney responsible for employment matters, including those arising under the State Civil Service Act applicable to the Denton Police and Fire Departments.
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Marcella Lunn, Deputy City Attorney
JD (University of Houston ‘17), BA (Johns Hopkins University: English/Spanish ‘14); Licensed in TX. Marcella is assigned to assist various departments in the city, including Purchasing, Tech Services, and Fleet Services, as well as work on special research projects, first amendment issues, and land use. Marcella joined the City of Denton after 3 years of experience in private practice. Her previous practice included researching and preparing motions and briefs, responding to discovery requests, as well as drafting and negotiating oil and gas contracts and easements.
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Kendra Kennedy, Deputy City Attorney
Deputy City Attorney Kendra Kennedy advises the City’s Facilities, Airport, Real Estate and Community Development groups.
Kendra has a B.A. in Business Administration from Baylor University and a J.D. from Baylor University School of Law. Before joining the City, she worked in the private sector for American Airlines, Electronic Data Systems Corporation, and a large law firm, where she gained experience in general corporate, transactions and real estate matters.
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Amanda Brown, Deputy City Attorney
Amanda Brown, Deputy City Attorney
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Caleb Garcia, Deputy City Attorney
Caleb Garcia, Deputy City Attorney