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Cornwell Appointed City Attorney
Chief deputy city attorney to fill former City Atty. Clegg’s shoes

By Allison Jean Eaton
Bulletin Editor

COMPTON – During a special council meeting called last week, the City Council appointed a new city attorney following the official resignation of City Atty. Legrand Clegg II.

Chief Deputy City Atty. Craig Cornwell’s appointment was unanimously approved by the Council during closed session talks Aug. 5.

Those talks took place following a retirement celebration for Clegg during the first portion of the meeting.

Clegg retired effective last Friday, Aug. 8 after 31 years of civil service working for the city of Compton, 15 of which were spent in elected office.

Cornwell has worked in the City Attorney’s office since 2000 and was appointed to the post of chief deputy city attorney in June 2006.

He was born in Inglewood and attended UC Santa Barbara before earning a law degree from Whittier Law School.

“I am humbled by the show of faith by the City Council in my appointment, and I am committed to doing my part to keep the city moving forward,” he told The Bulletin last Thursday.

The appointment is only temporary. Cornwell will have to run for election in the citywide election in April 2009 to secure the seat.

“I want the community to know that I understand that it is a probationary period before they get to vote in April,” the new city attorney said. “I’m excited to win their trust and to begin an attorney-client relationship.”

Cornwell and his wife, Margarette, and their 14-month-old daughter, Clarke, moved to Compton roughly six months ago. The city attorney is required to live within city limits.

Clegg said he is confident that Cornwell will continue to lead the office with dignity and integrity.

“I appeal to the community to be as supportive of my successor, Craig Cornwell, and his staff as they have me,” he said.

Interestingly, in his younger years, Clegg played piano at Faith Chapel, which was headed by the Rev. Raymond R. Cornwell, Cornwell’s father. And Cornwell’s mother, Maple J. Cornwell, was one of Clegg’s teachers at Centennial High and coached Clegg on the Apache debate team.