A new city attorney will take over Brian Bower’s former position, which he filled for two decades, and she said she hopes to be active in the community.

Rachael Cunningham, an attorney at the Brainard Law Office and the new city attorney, said she wanted to practice in a small town because it is more personal.

“I was real excited about (moving here) because I had been coming to the area for several years,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham moved to Charleston in August 2012 before starting her job in September.

“It’s part of the perk of being in a small town, getting involved in the community, which I’ve always done,” she said. “I always volunteer, and I always had jobs in the community throughout college and law school.”

She said her experience in Charleston has reinforced her goal to work in a small town.

“You’re going to see the same people; you’re going to see them in court, see them at Walmart,” Cunningham said. “They are your neighbors, your friends. I like that better.”

In a big city, she may not see some people again and it is not as close, Cunningham said.

She said she has had experience with city attorneys before, but has never served as one.

“My first job out of law school was a firm, and one of the partners at the firm was actually the city attorney for West Lafayette, so I’ve done municipal work before,” Cunningham said.

While at the firm, she went to city council meetings and got exposure right after law school, Cunningham said.

Cunningham received her degree from Purdue University and her law degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009.

As city attorney, she said she wants to expand her experience with family law and state-planning matters, among others.

“I’m really enjoying the variety that I have here at my job,” Cunningham said.

The involvement she gets is a perk in her life, she said.

She said she has attended the different parades around Charleston and has tried to become a part of the Eastern community.

“There is a really good work-life balance here, and for attorneys, that becomes a struggle at times for attorneys to work hard and also make time for family,” Cunningham said.

Before she was appointed, Cunningham went to the Charleston City Council meetings with Bower, the previous city attorney, to get an introduction to the council.

Cunningham said she would step in to cover meetings and hearings this semester while Bower was devoting time to his campaign for state’s attorney.

Cunningham said she only worked with Bower for a couple of months but was sad to see him leave the firm.

“It was bittersweet because I was sad to see him go, but it opened a great opportunity for me, so I’m grateful for that,” Cunningham said.

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.