Delaware City Attorney Natalia Harris Resigns, Citing Workplace Bullying and Discrimination
Delaware, Ohio – Delaware City Attorney Natalia Harris has officially resigned from her position, citing “workplace bullying and discriminatory conduct” in a resignation letter submitted on September 24, 2025. Harris, who made history as Delaware’s first African American and first female city attorney, announced that she would use her accrued compensatory time before her final day on October 3, 2025.
In her letter, Harris expressed pride in her contributions over five years leading the city’s legal department but stated she could no longer tolerate what she described as a hostile work environment. However, she did not provide specific examples of the alleged incidents.
A city spokesperson, Lee Yoakum, stated that the city’s human resources department has not received any formal complaints or documentation supporting Harris’ allegations. Attempts to reach Harris for further comment as of October 13 were unsuccessful.
The city attorney in Delaware is an appointed position reporting to the city manager rather than an elected office. Following Harris’ resignation, the City of Delaware listed an opening for a new chief legal counsel on October 6, with a salary range between $141,668.80 and $160,160.00 per year, according to official records.
Harris, who previously served as Delaware’s chief prosecutor starting in July 2019, was appointed city attorney in 2020. Earlier this year, she ran in the 2024 Democratic primary for Franklin County Prosecutor, losing to Shayla Favor, who later won the general election.
With more than 25 years of legal experience, Harris has served in several Ohio jurisdictions, including as assistant city attorney for Columbus for 11 years, focusing on civil and administrative law. She also worked in the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office in Dayton and served as lead prosecutor for the city of Cincinnati.
Harris earned her law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Central State University, where she currently serves as vice chair of the board of trustees.
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