Brookhaven has announced the hiring of a new city attorney, Jeremy Berry. An expert in local government, Berry is a former attorney for the city of Atlanta.
The city did not provide information about the departure of Chris Balch, who served as city attorney for seven years.
“We would not be the city that we are now without his leadership,” Mayor John Ernst said of Balch at the March 14 City Council meeting.
A statement written by Chris Balch was read by city staff: “I would like to thank Mayor John Ernst, City Council, as well as prior city council members for the opportunity to serve the city of Brookhaven over the past seven years. This partnership resulted in many significant milestones for the city of Brookhaven and my practice.”
Balch was recognized by the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) for the Marvin J. Glink Private Practice Local Government Attorney Award in 2022. He was nominated by Brookhaven City Manager Christian Sigman.
Balch did not respond for comment.