APOC chair nominated as Anchorage municipal attorney

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska Public Offices Commission Chair Anne Helzer has been nominated by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson to serve as municipal attorney.

Bronson announced the appointment of Helzer in a press release on Monday. If confirmed by the Anchorage Assembly, Helzer would become the third person to serve as the municipal attorney since Bronson was sworn into office in June 2021.

“Serving as Anchorage’s Municipal Attorney is an extraordinary honor. Anchorage’s Department of Law has a long-standing reputation for excellence which I will preserve,” Helzer said in the release. “I will confront the city’s current challenges head on. I am committed to lawfulness and integrity in our city government. I commend Blair, who led our Municipal Department of Law with strength and legal expertise.”

According to the Helzer Law, LLC website, Helzer was born in New York City and raised in New York state. She began her private practice in Anchorage in 2011 and has litigated numerous legal topics.

Helzer follows former Acting Municipal Attorney Blair Christensen, who announced that she was resigning in late January. Christensen had followed Patrick Bergt and Mario Bird, who was not confirmed by the Assembly.

“Anne focuses her day-to-day practice on Wills, Trusts, Estates, Guardianship, and Probate litigation. Dividing assets following a death in the family can be delicate and complicated. Anne has developed a reputation for delivering compassion, composure, and decisive thinking to these and other difficult legal situations,” Helzer’s website says.

According to the release, Helzer has served on APOC for five years and has lived in Anchorage for over 15 years.

“I appreciate the hard work and commitment to excellence that Blair displayed in her role for the Municipality of Anchorage,” Bronson said in the release. “I look forward to having Anne on board with her wealth of experience and her focus to serve every citizen of Anchorage as the Municipal Attorney.”

According to her website, Helzer is a member of both the Anchorage Bar Association and the New York State Bar, and is a past president of the Anchorage Bar Association. Helzer is a member of the Violent Crimes Victim’s Compensation Board.

The Anchorage Assembly will hold its next regular meeting on Feb. 21.

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