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CASPER, Wyo. — The Natrona County government is on the hunt for a new county attorney after the departure of Leda Pojman from the role earlier this year.
According to Natrona County HR Director Danielle Krucheck, Pojman officially left the position in December. Since the start of 2026, legal reports have been given to the Board of County Commissioners by Ashley Smith, who recently saw her title shift from deputy county attorney to interim county attorney on board documents.
The county has seen difficulties retaining a county attorney in recent years. Following the departure of Eric Nelson in 2023 to serve as the attorney for the city of Casper, former county attorney Heather Duncan-Malone and deputy county attorney Jared Holbrook both resigned in 2025.
In speaking with Oil City News, County Commission Chairman Jim Milne declined to comment on the reason for Pojman’s departure. However, he attributed the larger turnover trend in the County Attorney’s Office to difficulties in offering competitive pay.
“We’re really restricted by state statute as far as what we can pay a county attorney,” Milne said. “A lot of the talent that’s out there is being pulled away by the private sector; we can’t compete with it. It’s going to take the right person with the right mindset of what they want to do and accomplish to be in that position.”
At Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting, officials received the findings of a wage study which found that while the county’s starting salaries are competitive to draw in new hires, wages lag the market by an average of 6% at the midpoint and more than 10% at the maximum earning levels.
When asked when the county hopes to have a new attorney named, Milne jokingly responded, “Yesterday.” Krucheck said the county has only received a small handful of applicants for the position so far, though it will be accepting applications through April 7.
