Murfreesboro Begins Process to Select New City Attorney After Adam Tucker Announces Departure

The Murfreesboro City Council voted on January 22, 2026 to launch the process for selecting the next City Attorney. The action follows City Attorney Adam Tucker’s announcement on December 19, 2025 that he will step down in mid-February in order to relocate to his native Northeast Ohio. His final day is expected to be on or about February 17, 2026.

In an email to the Council, Tucker expressed gratitude for his years of service, stating that it had been a privilege to serve the community for the past 15 years, including seven and a half years as City Attorney. He thanked Council members for their trust and the opportunities provided to him.

The Council approved a selection timeline that aims to have a new City Attorney in place by the end of March 2026. The process will include advertising for the position, appointing an interim City Attorney, pre-screening candidates, and conducting an executive team assessment and Council interviews in mid to late March.

Council members also adopted Resolution 26-R-08, known as the Legal Operational Service Delivery Policy. The policy outlines expectations for the Legal Department, including supervisory responsibilities, case management practices, performance evaluations, and procedures for engaging outside legal counsel. Tucker and City Manager Darren Gore developed the policy jointly.

According to Gore, the policy is intended to align the Legal Department’s priorities with the City’s operational goals by clarifying supervisory authority, communication expectations, and internal procedures. The policy does not change the employment agreement of the City Attorney or any provisions of the City Charter, which grants the Council authority to appoint the position and defines the roles of the City Attorney, City Manager, and City Council.

The formal search for Tucker’s successor will begin in February through regional recruitment efforts that include the City’s job portal, the Tennessee Attorneys Association, and the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service.

Executive team evaluations, Council interviews, and finalist selections are scheduled for March.

Tucker was appointed City Attorney on August 16, 2018 after serving as Interim City Attorney and Staff Attorney. His appointment followed a nationwide recruitment process. He first joined the Legal Department in August 2010.

Reflecting on his tenure, Tucker noted that collaborating with colleagues in the Legal Department had been the highlight of his career. He offered to serve as a consultant during the transition, particularly in matters related to the City’s ongoing lawsuit involving Middle Point Landfill, Republic Services, and BFI.

Tucker’s expertise in First Amendment law has played a significant role in several high-profile matters. Notably, he assisted the City and Rutherford County in preparing for the October 28, 2017 rally on the Public Square in Murfreesboro, working closely with the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law Center to communicate conditions and restrictions for the event.

Before joining Murfreesboro’s Legal Department, Tucker practiced law with Harris Beach PLLC in Ithaca, New York, from 2007 to 2009, McGuire Woods LLP in McLean, Virginia, from 2004 to 2007, and Jones Day in Washington, D.C., from 2002 to 2004. He is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, International Municipal Lawyers Association, Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association, and Rutherford County Bar Association.

Tucker earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2002 and graduated summa cum laude from Kenyon College in 1995 with an A.B. in Economics and a minor in Russian Language studies.