Ryan Moehlman, City Attorney

20191221_091741 (002)Mr. Moehlman is originally from the Kansas City area, growing up in Blue Springs, Missouri. He attended Missouri State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism.  While at Missouri State, he worked as an intern at the State Legislature in Jefferson City for then-Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Rep. Mark Wright. Upon graduation from Missouri State, he attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law where he earned a certificate in Urban, Land Use and Environmental Law, and was named a UMKC Second Century Scholar.  While in law school, he clerked for the Law Department of the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. After graduation, he practiced law in the St. Louis area with Cunningham Vogel & Rost, P.C., a firm that provides legal counsel and representation exclusively for local governments and related public sector interests.  While at CVR, he represented the firm’s municipal clients in general municipal law matters, land use and zoning, utility/franchise law, economic development, and governmental litigation, and also served as the Village Attorney for the Village of Bel-Ridge, Missouri. 

In 2014, he accepted a position as Associate City Counselor for the City of Columbia, Missouri where he primarily represented the City in the areas of planning and zoning, building and site development, and community development. In September 2016, he was appointed City Attorney for the City of Jefferson. Mr. Moehlman is a member of the Missouri Municipal Attorneys Association and the International Municipal Lawyer Association; he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the MMAA and as the Missouri State Chair for IMLA. Mr. Moehlman has been a frequent speaker to groups of municipal attorneys and public officials, particularly in the areas of telecommunications regulations and rights-of-way management.

In his capacity as City Attorney and head of the Law Department, he provides legal advice and services to the Mayor and City Council, city staff, and various boards and commissions of the City of Jefferson in order to promote the goals of the City, limit liability, and ensure conformance with legal constraints. Per the City Charter, the City Attorney directs the management of all litigation in which the City is interested, which includes determining the merits of claims, defense against suits filed against the City, and filing suits on behalf of the City. While the City Attorney does not prosecute criminal matters (which is performed by the elected City Prosecutor), the office does provide for the administrative oversight of the Court and supports the prosecutor when needed. The Law Department does not provide legal advice to private citizens or handle criminal matters.

Contact Information
Email the City Attorney
Phone: (573) 634-6314