Mesquite, TX – August 26, 2021 – The City of Mesquite’s Assistant City Attorney, Rita Ballard, has been recognized by the International Municipal Lawyers Association as a Local Government Fellow. The prestigious award was established to recognize attorneys as legal specialists in the field of local government law. Rita is one of the very few lawyers across the nation to join the 2021 Class of IMLA Fellows.

City Attorney David Paschall said, “We are very fortunate to have an attorney like Rita on our team. Only those demonstrating a high degree of proficiency and competency in the local government legal field receive the award.”

The Local Government Fellows Program offers local governments a reliable benchmark for determining experienced and knowledgeable practitioners. Recipients of the award must document their extensive practical experience and pass the IMLA Fellows Exam that includes extensive essay and paper examination on local government legal issues.