Office Of Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola (1 Position)
Mayor Mark Stodola, who began his term as the 72nd mayor of Little Rock in 2007, has a broad history of legal experience. Mayor Stodola has served as Public Defender for the City of North Little Rock, City Attorney for the City of Little Rock, Prosecuting Attorney for the Sixth Judicial District, City Attorney for Maumelle, and served several years as general counsel to the Little Rock National Airport. Over the years, his practice has included litigation on behalf of a host of Arkansas cities, including Pine Bluff, West Memphis, Rockport, Hazen, and others. Mayor Stodola also spent 11 years as a senior partner in the law firm of Catlett and Stodola, PLC. Additionally, Mayor Stodola has represented the Arkansas Municipal League along with several associations and business enterprises during every session of the General Assembly since 1987. For more information about the Mayor’s Office, see www.littlerock.org/mayorsoffice.
An extern serving in Mayor Stodola’s office will: (1) draft ordinances; (2) conduct research on municipal issues and draft memoranda; (3) attend meetings of the Little Rock Board of Directors; and (4) research statutes involving a variety of government issues. City Board meetings occur weekly on alternate Tuesday afternoons and evenings, so an extern student would likely need to be available during most of those times. During the legislative session, an extern also will have the opportunity to research proposed legislation and attend legislative committee meetings. Mayor Stodola will interview students recommended for an externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Office Of Little Rock City Attorney Tom Carpenter (1 Position)
The mission of the City Attorney’s Office is to provide excellent and ethical legal advice, zealous legal representation, and other quality legal services for the Little Rock Board of Directors, City officers, and City employees in order that they may lawfully attain the Board of Directors’ goals and other department program outcomes without undue risk to the City.
The City Attorney’s Office is located on the 3rd Floor of City Hall. The City Attorney’s Office performs all legal services for the City, including legal advice to City Officials, preparation and review of contracts and other legal documents, prosecution of persons accused of violating City ordinances, and representation of the City and City officials in lawsuits. The City Attorney’s Office does not provide legal advice to members of the public.
An extern serving in the City Attorney’s Office will: (1) assist in drafting ordinances and resolutions (2) attend the Little Rock City Board Meetings (3) work with attorneys on litigation cases (4) work with transactional attorneys on contacts, requests for proposal, requests for qualifications, agreements, memoranda, and grant work (5) attend meetings as requested with the City Attorney or other professionals (6) research discrete areas of local government law (7) be trained in the applicability of state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (8) attend environmental, traffic, and truancy courts with attorneys, and, (9) perform other related duties as assigned.
A student applying for this position should have a general interest in local government. He or she should be proactive, have a strong work ethic, and an eagerness to learn. He/she must have excellent writing skills and research abilities. The staff of the City Attorney’s Office will interview students recommended for an externship prior to final approval of the placement.
