The primary responsibility of the Town Attorney is to protect the legal interests of the Town of Chapel Hill. The Town Attorney serves as general counsel to the Town and provides advice to the Mayor and Council, Town Boards and Commissions, Town Administration, and Town Departments.
Specific duties include:
-
Preparing and reviewing legal documents for the Town
-
Representing the Town in state and federal trial and appellate courts
-
Representing the Town in administrative proceedings
-
Attending all Town Council meetings
-
Occasionally attending advisory board meetings during and outside business hours
Important: The Town Attorney’s Office cannot give legal advice or provide legal representation to private residents.
Nicholas Yates started as Town Attorney in January 2026. He has extensive experience in local and state government. Since 2021, he’s served the Town of Cary as Deputy Town Attorney and Senior Assistant Town Attorney. Prior to that, he spent four years as an Assistant Attorney General with the North Carolina Department of Justice. Before joining the state, he worked as Assistant District Attorney for both Durham County and Wake County. Yates earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia and a Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Association of Police and Sheriff’s Attorneys.