COVINGTON, Ky. – While the rugby position “loosehead prop” is hardly a prerequisite for the position of City Solicitor, in Frank Schultz’s case it does speak to an ability to push through and get things done.
Schultz – who played that position at both Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and the University of Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind. – could use that skill as he takes the helm of Covington’s Legal Department with an eye toward maintaining the City’s considerable economic momentum.
Schultz, who was hired as an Assistant City Solicitor under then-Solicitor David Davidson in 2022, was promoted with Davidson’s retirement in June this year. He said he looks forward to following through on the culture and philosophy that he said Davidson created.
“David wanted a Legal Department where the doors are always open and where we are not the ‘gatekeepers’ always telling other departments, ‘no,’” said Schultz. “We are not the policymakers, but if not careful, attorneys sometimes can let their own personal views influence the advice they give in guiding day-to-day operations. David was clear in establishing an environment in the Legal Department where that is not the case. My plan moving forward is to further strengthen that operating principle.”
While Schultz’s background is in private practice as a litigator, he quickly developed a keen understanding of municipal law, according to his predecessor.
“Frank showed great promise when he started here a few years ago, with a breadth of experience in various aspects of the law,” said Davidson. “He adapted quickly to the demands of municipal law and worked well with various departments of the City, including Economic Development. He responds quickly and with authority on questions brought to him. He brings many skills to the job of Solicitor, and the future of the Legal Department is in good hands.”
City Manager Ken Smith pointed out that the role of City Solicitor is one of the most important for local government, since it advises everybody from the City Manager to the elected Board of Commissioners to senior staff and also reviews contracts and oversees any litigation across a wide breadth of topics.
“Frank has been a tremendous asset to the City since he joined the legal staff in 2022,” said Smith. “He stepped up to lead the department on an interim basis when David retired at the beginning of July, and I am very pleased that he now has that role on a permanent basis.”
Schultz said he looks forward to supporting the City’s leadership and its departments in fulfilling their goals.
“With the Covington Central Riverfront neighborhood development, the new City Hall being built, and all the projects that we have going on, this is a really great time in Covington,” said Schultz. “We have a very bright future and we have a legal department that is going to help the policy makers and help the departments meet their goals. That’s my philosophy.”
Schultz, a Northern Kentucky native and Beechwood graduate, earned his undergraduate degree in political science and business legal studies from Miami University and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School. He started off as an engineering major but found political science and business more appealing and had long been drawn to the study of law.
“Most people in my family are doctors or engineers,” he said. “When I was younger, I wouldn’t say I was a troublemaker, but I didn’t like people telling me what I could or could not do. Because of that I wanted to know what the rules were, so the boundaries were clear. I thought the law was interesting and it has been my passion for a long time.”
Schultz and his wife Kathryn reside in Park Hills and are known at their alma mater as a “Miami Merger,” which refers to two Miami of Ohio graduates who marry. They have two young children, two cats, and a dog named Buford (named for the Kentucky born Civil War hero Major General John Buford), which they rescued from the streets.
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