Newport Beach's City Attorney Resigns

Calling his two-and-a-half years with Newport Beach "fruitful and enjoyable," City Attorney David Hunt announced Tuesday that he will leave his post.

Hunt described the separation as "mutual" and said he'll stay with the city until a successor is seated or Sept. 23, whichever comes first. He will receive three months severance pay.

Hunt alluded to the City Council's desire to outsource some of Newport's legal needs.

"Their direction is a perfectly valid choice. ... It's simply not a model I care to execute," Hunt said. "I'm a lawyer. I'm a lawyer first. It's probably one of my strengths and one of my greatest weaknesses, and I would prefer just to move on into the private practice of law."

Mayor Mike Henn stressed that Hunt's leaving the city was amicable.

"You’ve accomplished a great many things for the benefit of our city,” he said.