Knight & Partners Profile

Knight & Partners has
broad-based experience representing local governments and
related entities. The firm serves as city attorney or assistant
city attorney for more than thirty - five cities, and represents other
cities and counties on a wide range of issues. Other local
governments and governmental entities we serve as general counsel
include a groundwater conservation district, water control and
improvement district multiple economic
development corporations, emergency services districts and a
municipal retirement system. Other public entity representations
include volunteer fire departments, water supply corporations,
and ethics commissions.
Barney Knight has sixteen
(16) years experience with the cities of Temple and Austin, and
twenty-four (24) years of private practice experience. During
Knight's first five (5) years of private practice, he
concentrated in construction, real estate, finance and related
litigation. Over the last nineteen (19) years his practice has
focused on representing local governments. Knight's education
includes degrees from Temple College, the University of Texas, a
Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas, and a
Masters of Public Administration from Texas State University.
His service with Temple and Austin included service as City
Attorney, Assistant City Manager and City Manager in Temple, and
Deputy City Attorney, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager, and
Acting City Manager in Austin.
Paige Saenz is a partner in the
firm and has over seven (7) years experience. In
addition to serving as city attorney or assistant city attorney,
and the primary service provide to some of our large municipal
clients, Paige is active in several directly related areas of municipal law,
e.g. representation of a municipal retirement system and
administrative law cases. She assists with the representation of
clients at the TCEQ and a variety of special issues as required by
our clients and has significant experience in zoning, land
development and code enforcement. She has an undergraduate degree
from Rice University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the
University of Texas.
Jeffrey Ulmann obtained a B.A.
from the University of Texas in 2000. Prior to entering law school
he obtained a Real Estate License, and worked as an Appraisal
Assistant for a real estate appraisal firm and in the Human
Resources Department for a multinational computer company. Jeff
obtained a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from St. Mary's University
in 2005 and joined Knight & Partners in 2006. Jeff is the preferred
contact for legal services for a number of our client cities.
In addition to providing direct assistance to our municipal clients,
Jeff provides research, support and assistance to the
partners and senior attorneys on a wide variety of issues. As
are all the other attorneys in our office, Jeff is an experienced
municipal court prosecutor.
James Parker joined our team in
April 2009. James received a B.A. from Texas A&M in 1999 and a
Doctor of Jurisprudence from the South Texas College of Law in 2002.
James’ experience includes two (2) years as a staff attorney at the
TCEQ, one and one-half years as an assistant city attorney for the
City of Killeen, and three (3) years in the private practice of law
in Georgetown. At the TCEQ, he represented the Executive Director in
contested rate and CCN application proceedings before the State
Office of Administrative Hearings and the Commission;
negotiated/mediated settlement agreements; advised the Executive
Director and staff on environmental regulatory matters; participated
in rule making; advised Agency staff on the Public Information Act;
and reviewed and responded to requests for public information. As an
assistant city attorney in Killeen, James represented the planning
and engineering departments in real estate, water, wastewater and
environmental regulatory matters; advised the City’s planning and
zoning commission, zoning board of adjustments and other city boards
and commissions in their public meetings; prepared and reviewed
professional services and construction contracts for the planning,
design, and construction of road, water, and wastewater projects;
drafted ordinances and policies for the City related to water and
environmental regulatory matters; prepared and reviewed real estate
documents; and conducted public information and open meetings
training for City boards and staff. During three years of private
practice, he was engaged in real estate and construction lien
litigation, residential and commercial real estate transactions,
sales contracts, lease agreements, easements, construction
agreements, and in the formation, organization, and operation of
business entities.
Knight & Partners has significant
experience in code enforcement and municipal court prosecution, and
all attorneys have instant access to draw on the experience of all
the other attorneys as well as an extensive computer library of
ordinances, forms and briefs.
Knight & Partners was founded
with a desire to concentrate its practice in the public sector and
manage overhead in a manner to control costs and maintain reasonable
rates while, at the same time, providing quality legal services.
We believe our business, professional approach and municipal
experience save our clients both time and expense. We can
answer a broad range of local government
questions, by telephone, fax or email, when and as those questions
are asked. This approach frequently saves clients both the time and
expense required for research, and is
complimented by our limiting overhead and maintaining a relatively
affordable rate structure for local public and government entities.
The firm provides full services but readily recommends other counsel
as and when needed.
We bill on a monthly basis and
each bill provides sufficient detail to show the specific task and
work for each time increment billed. Our time is billed in
increments of one-tenth (1/10) of an hour. We emphasize timely and
responsive service, and provide our mobile and personal home
telephone numbers to assure availability at all times. References
are provided upon request.

Contact Information
Telephone
(512) 323-5778
FAX
(512) 323-5773
Postal address
223 W. Anderson, Suite A-105,
Austin, Texas
78752
Electronic mail
E-mail:
attorneys@cityattorneytexas.com