The battle over the removal of two Petersburg City Council members will feature two veteran attorneys.

Chesterfield County Commonwealth’s Attorney William Davenport has been named to represent the voters seeking to recall Mayor Samuel Parham, 3rd Ward, and Councilman W. Howard Myers, 5th Ward, the former mayor.

Petersburg Circuit Judge Joseph M. Teefey Jr. appointed Mr. Davenport, who has been Chesterfield’s top prosecutor for 28 years, after Petersburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Cassandra S. Conover declared a conflict.

Meanwhile, government law specialist James E. “Jim” Cornwell Jr. of the Richmond-based firm Sands Anderson has been hired by the Petersburg City Attorney’s Office to represent Mayor Parham and Mr. Myers.

Mr. Cornwell, who has practiced law for more than 40 years, has a substantial track record, including successfully defending three supervisors in Bath County against a recall petition. The judge in that case dismissed the petition last month.

In the Petersburg case, Mayor Parham and Mr. Myers are accused of “neglect, misuse of office and incompetence” in allowing the city to be plunged into a financial crisis. The complaint cites 11 instances in which the two allegedly ignored critical financial information, failed to take action, undertook secret actions in violation of state law or engaged in irresponsible budgeting and oversight.

Both Mayor Parham and Mr. Myers have said they did their jobs to the best of their ability and plan to urge Judge Teefey to not remove them.

Judge Teefey has set the case to be heard Monday, Feb. 6.