Dedicated to Government in the Florida Sunshine
The City of Temple Terrace, located in Hillsborough County, is represented by City Attorney Pamela Cichon and Deputy City Attorney Ernest Mueller, who together provide 53 years of government law experience to their municipal client. Both attorneys spent their early career as Assistant Attorneys General with the Florida Department of Legal Affairs: Ms. Cichon with the Criminal Appeals Division in Daytona Beach and Mr. Mueller serving in the Civil Litigation Division in Tampa.
After switching to local government in 1989, Ms.Cichon developed a winning track record defending the City of St. Petersburg in labor arbitrations and state and federal courts during her nearly 24 years as a Senior Assistant City Attorney. Most of these trials involved claims of employment discrimination, negligence with personal injury, false arrest, civil rights violations, and improper land use decisions.
Mr. Mueller joined the City of St. Petersburg as an Assistant City Attorney in 1999 practicing in the areas of employment law and code enforcement. In 2006, Ernie joined the City of Tampa’s legal department where he broadened his practice areas to include land use, collections, and foreclosures. He eventually rose to the position of Chief Assistant City Attorney before retiring in 2019. “The timing was perfect,” Ms. Cichon says. “We were fortunate that Ernie, with his vast knowledge of local government, became available just as we were hiring.” Mr. Mueller now devotes thirty hours each week to serving the City of Temple Terrace, affording him time for a private law practice with Mueller Law, P.A. assisting others in tackling their legal problems.
Until Ms. Cichon was chosen by Temple Terrace’s City Council as its City Attorney, the city was represented by outside attorneys. Pam became the city’s first in-house counsel in at least 40 years. Thus, the job wasn’t simply drafting ordinances and attending meetings, but required the creation of a full Legal Department. Temple Terrace had major development plans in the works at the time and is currently seeing a renaissance in it’s downtown redevelopment area, so having an attorney always accessible to officials and staff is instrumental. “It’s an exciting time for Temple Terrace; and I feel great satisfaction when my legal work facilitates something one can see and use, such as new shops, apartments, and restaurants.”
Temple Terrace’s City Attorneys share a philosophy of giving back to their profession and community. Ernie taught local government law at Thomas Cooley Law School and currently serves on the Hillsborough Charter Review Board. Pam was recently honored by Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc. for 29 years of service on its Board of Directors. She is a charter member and past chair of the Florida Bar Government Lawyers Section, as well as a past chair of the Florida Bar’s Client Security Fund Committee. In addition to being a trained arbitrator who has served on the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, Pam volunteered for 6 years with Lawyers for Literacy, and has been a hearing officer for Pinellas County’s Housing Authority, Value Adjustment Board, School Board, traffic court, and juvenile drug court.
11250 N. 56th Street, Temple Terrace, FL 33617
www.TempleTerrace.com
