Lane County commissioners appointed Mallory Beebe, deputy county counsel, to serve as interim counsel until a permanent top attorney is hired.

The commissioners’ unanimous vote Tuesday, Sept. 1, came one week after they unanimously approved an agreement to part ways with the former county counsel, Rob Bovett. 

Beebe joined the county in January 2025 and has worked for the Portland city attorney’s office and for private law firms. 

Commissioners said Beebe’s experience in the office will add stability in the months ahead during a search.

“I think you’re going to bring some calm” to the office, said Commissioner Ryan Ceniga, the board chair. 

The county counsel position has seen high turnover in recent years.

Bovett, who started work for the county in 2025, left “without cause or comment,” under the terms of the agreement. The county also gave Bovett a payout of $275,318, the equivalent of a year’s salary and health benefits. The agreement also noted Bovett exceeded expectations on his job evaluation.

In 2024, former county counsel Erin Pettigrew received a $250,000 settlement after filing a tort claim alleging workplace harassment against the county.

The county counsel reports to commissioners, not the county administrator.

With Bovett gone, the county will also have to hire outside legal counsel to meet the work demands. They’ll also have to plan a recruitment process and timeline for the next county counsel. 

Ben Botkin covers politics and policy in Lane County. He has worked as a journalist since 2003, most recently at the Oregon Capital Chronicle, where he covered justice, health and human services and documented regional efforts to combat fentanyl addiction. Botkin has worked in statehouses in Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma and, of course, Oregon. When he's not working, you'll find him road tripping across the West, hiking or surfing along the Oregon Coast.