Mick McKamie
Partner
Areas of Practice
• Municipal Law
• First Amendment Litigation
• Fifth Amendment Litigation
• Trial Law
Education
• M.P.A. (City Management Track), Texas Tech University, 1981
• J.D., Texas Tech University, 1978
• B.A., Government, University of Texas, 1972
• Overseas Study – Comparative Government–Europe, American University, 1970
Mick McKamie practices trial law and represents governmental entities. He is a graduate of the University of Texas with a B.A. in Government, and the Texas Tech School of Law. Mr. McKamie earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from Texas Tech.
Mr. McKamie is a former full-time Assistant City Attorney for Lubbock (1979-81) and City Attorney for Greenville (1983-87) and Amarillo (2015-18). Mr. McKamie is currently Interim Deputy City Attorney for Amarillo. Mr. McKamie has also served as City Attorney for the Home Rule Cities of Alpine, Boerne and Hondo, and the General Law Cities of Leon Valley, Richwood, Somerville, Ferris and Cottonwood Shores. He has served as Interim City Attorney for the Cities of Boerne, Euless, Liberty Hill and Forney, and as General Counsel for the Laredo Housing Authority. He is currently City Attorney for Fredericksburg and Boerne. Mick serves as Special Counsel for the City of Amarillo and General Counsel for Amarillo Local Government Corporation. He is a frequent speaker and panelist on municipal and public law issues, focusing on Open Government, land use litigation, annexation and boundary disputes, governmental and official immunity, Fair Housing, Whistleblower Act, EEOC and employment discrimination, damages and remedies issues, and complex civil litigation. He is an Original Member of the Housing Authority Defense Attorneys Association.
Mick has over 60 reported State and Federal Appellate decisions as lead counsel.
Mr. McKamie is a Research Fellow of the Center for American and International Law, a Fellow of the College of the State Bar of Texas, and a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1992). Mick was the first to be elected twice as Chair of the Government Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. In 2012 he received a Certificate of Merit in Municipal Law from the Texas City Attorneys Association. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in Texas, Best Lawyers in San Antonio, and SuperLawyers.
Mr. McKamie is the 2011 Recipient of the Marvin J. Glink Private Practice Local Government Attorney Award, presented by the International Municipal Lawyers Association to recognize outstanding service to the public, a top award in the practice of Municipal Law.
Mick McKamie is the Recipient of the International Municipal Lawyers Association Charles S. Rhyne Lifetime Achievement Award on September 20, 2019.
Mr. McKamie is a member in good standing and admitted to practice in all Texas state courts, all federal district courts in Texas, the Fifth and Third Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Professional Affiliations and Memberships
Member:
• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• Amarillo Area Bar Association
• San Antonio Bar Association
• Fellow, College of the State Bar of Texas
• Research Fellow, Center for American and International Law
• Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Chancellor’s Council, University of Texas System (2010 –)
• Government Law Section, State Bar of Texas (Council member, 2006-14) Chair, 2010-11 and 2008-9
• Housing Authority Defense Attorneys Association (Original Member, 2002 –)
• Hunt County Tax Appraisal District Board of Directors (Secretary, 1986-87)
• Texas City Attorneys Association (Board of Directors, 1984-87; Recorder, 1986-87, Member 1983 –)
Admitted:
• Supreme Court of the United States (1992–)
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1987–)
• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1997–)
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (1979–)
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (1985–)
• United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (1991–)
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (1991–)
• Supreme Court of Texas (1978–)
Awards, Publications, Presentations and Activities:
Honors:
• Best Lawyers in America (2008-2022)
• Charles S. Rhyne, Lifetime Achievement Award, International Municipal Lawyers Association (2019)
• Marvin J. Glink Private Practice Local Government Attorney Award, International Municipal Lawyers Association (2011)
• Certificate of Merit in Municipal Law from the Texas City Attorneys Association (2012)
• Pi Alpha Alpha (Academic – Public Administration)
• Outstanding Young Men of America, 1985
• Dean’s List, Texas Tech University, 1980-81
• Chapter President, Phi Sigma Kappa (Social), University of Texas, 1971-72
Presentations:
• Ethics: Third-Party Communications with Council and Staff, Texas City Attorneys Association Summer Conference, 2023
• Sober Homes/Group Homes, International Municipal Lawyers Association Annual Conference, 2022
• Ethics: Third-Party Communications with Council and Staff, Texas City Attorneys Association Fall Conference, 2022
• Group Homes, Texas City Attorneys Association Summer Conference, 2019
• Legal Q&A, Panelist, TML Small Town Conference, 2019
• Service Animals, IMLA Annual Conference, 2018
• Municipal Law Seminar, Panelist, Center for Public Service, The Graduate School, Texas Tech University, 2018
• First Amendment Issues for Government Lawyers, Government Law 101 Advanced Government Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2018
• The Amarillo Legal Department, Amarillo Area Bar Association, 2017
• Dealing with the Media, The 15th Biennial Las Vegas CLE, Amarillo Young Lawyers Association, 2018
• Property Abatement for General Law Cities, Texas Panhandle Inspectors’ Association, 2017
• Impact Litigation and Texas Municipal Courts, Panelist, Texas Municipal Courts Education Center Prosecutors Conference, 2017
• Affordable Housing – Recent Developments, 21st Annual Land Use Planning Conference, University of Texas School of Law CLE, 2017
• Immigration Issues that Affect Local Government, Advanced Government Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2016
• Open Government and Employment, TML HR Workshop for Public Officials, 2015
• Recent Developments in Fair Housing, Advanced Government Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2015
• Service Animals and City Facilities, Texas City Attorneys Association Summer Conference, 2015
• Legislative Update, Panelist, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, 2015
• Why Every City Should Have a Board of Adjustment, Summit for Texas Code Enforcement Attorneys and Officials, City of Irving, 2015
• Public Information and Records, Panelist, Austin Chapter, National Forum for Black Public Administrators, 2014
• Open Government and Employment, TML HR Workshop for Public Officials, 2014
• Open Government after Alpine II and Adkisson, University of Texas System 14th Annual Legal Conference, 2014
• The Ethical Challenges of Representing Entities (Panelist and Presenter), City of San Antonio Team Building and CLE, 2014
• Texas Tort Claims Act Basics (Paper only), Riley Fletcher Basic Municipal Law Seminar, Texas Municipal Center, 2014
• Texas Open Meetings Act – Constitutional?, Bill of Rights, Litigating the Constitution, 7th Annual Bill of Rights Seminar, State Bar of Texas, 2013
• Texas Open Meetings Act – Constitutional? City of Austin Open Government Seminar, 2013
• Transparency in Government, Panelist, Leadership Summit 2013, National Forum for Black Public Administrators, 2013
• Political Subdivision Liability under the Texas Tort Claims Act, Riley Fletcher Basic Municipal Law Seminar, Texas Municipal Center, 2013
• Legal Q&A, Together, Finding Solutions, Texas City Management Association, 2013
• Political Subdivision Liability under the Texas Tort Claims Act, Riley Fletcher Basic Municipal Law Seminar, Texas Municipal Center, 2012
• Open Government Panel, Panelist, State Bar of Texas Annual Conference, 2012
• Political Subdivision Liability under the Texas Tort Claims Act Presentation, Suing & Defending Governmental Entities Boot Camp, State Bar of Texas, 2012
• Texas Open Meetings Act – “Constitutional?” Advanced Administrative Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2011
• Ethical Considerations in Social Networking, Best Practices in Government Law Course, State Bar of Texas 2011
• Legislative Update — Community Development, Economic Development, Code Enforcement, Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program, 2011
• Transparency in Government, Panelist, Leadership Summit 2011, National Forum for Black Public Administrators, 2011
• Open Government Panel, Social Networking, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, 2010
• Local Regulation of Sexually Oriented Businesses, American Planning Association, Texas Chapter, 2009
• Open Government Panel, Public Information and the First Amendment, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, 2009
• Course Director, Suing and Defending Governmental Entities, State Bar of Texas, 2009