NASHVILLE, TN — The Metro Council voted unanimously recently to employ Margaret O. Darby as special counsel and director of the council office, making Darby the first woman to ever be appointed to officially lead the Council Office since the beginning of the formation of the Metropolitan Government in 1963.
Darby replaces long-time Director Jon Cooper who resigned in June of this year to go into private legal practice.
Darby has been with the Metropolitan Government Department of Law since January 2001. In that office she most recently served as the senior attorney leading the team providing representation and advice for Metro’s fiscal administration departments, including the Department of Finance, the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Community Development, and the Metropolitan Sports Authority.
She also served as Metro’s issuer’s counsel for municipal bond issuances in more than thirty government financing transactions including the Music City Center.
A graduate of the Vermont Law School, Darby served as the school’s Student Bar Association President. She was also a member of the Environmental Law Society and a Founding Member of the Women’s Rugby Club.
Since moving to Nashville, Darby has served as president of the Eastwood Neighbors Neighborhood Association and as a board member of the Friends of Shelby Park.
“We are extremely fortunate to have Ms. Darby join us at the Council,” Vice Mayor Jim Shulman stated. “She brings a tremendous amount of talent and experience, especially as it regards financial matters of the City.”
“I am excited about the opportunity to continue my career in public service by working directly with the Metro Council,” Darby stated. “I already know many of the members through my work on Metro’s budget and on Metro’s bond obligations and I look forward to building onto those relationships.”
Darby will start work as the permanent Director on January 1, 2022. Hannah Zeitlin has been serving as the Interim Director since July 1, 2021.
