Deputy City Attorney (Civil Litigation Division, Land Use, Writs, and Appeals Unit)

See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

The San Diego City Attorney's Office protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego’s elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City’s prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, by holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 180 lawyers and approximately 230 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego.

The Civil Litigation Division of the San Diego City Attorney’s Office is conducting a recruitment to fill a Deputy City Attorney position in the Land Use, Writs, and Appeal Unit. This position reports directly to the Chief Deputy City Attorneyof this Unit.  

The Land Use, Writs, and Appeal Unit prepares and defends civil actions on behalf of the City in state and federal court, including challenges based on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), eminent domain, constitutional issues related to the use of land, real estate development, failure to comply with the Municipal Code or City procedures, and land use-related decisions by the City Council, Planning Commission, and City staff. 

In addition to land use related cases, the Unit handles validation actions, declaratory relief actions, and Code of Civil Procedure sections 1085 and 1094.5 writs, including, but not limited to, challenges to funding and revenue sources such as City taxes and fees, pension/retirement claims, California Public Record Act cases, as well as pre and post-election challenges. The Unit also handles numerous land use appeals and assists or handles appeals from other Litigation Units.  

Employees in the Land Use, Writs, and Appeal Unitroutinely include, but are not limited to: 

• Preparing and defending the City in state and federal court against challenges based on CEQA, constitutional issues related to the use of land, real estate development, failure to comply with the Municipal Code or City procedures, and land use related decisions by the City Council or City staff;
• Representing the City in validation actions, declaratory relief actions, and Code of Civil Procedure sections 1085 and 1094.5 writs;
• Handling eminent domain actions on behalf of the City;
• Defending inverse condemnation actions filed against the City in state and federal court;
• Handle appeals arising from assigned cases;
• Assist General Litigation deputies with appeals;
• Handle appeals arising from General Litigation cases, as needed;
• Meet general Office expectations and policies (e.g., work hours, timely completion of Litigation Reports, timely completion of Closed Session memos, and timely completion of mandatory training); and
• Perform other duties as assigned by the City Attorney, Assistant City Attorney for Litigation, or Chief Deputy City Attorney for Land Use, Writs, and Appeal.

Applicants are required to:

• Be licensed to practice law and an active member in good standing in all courts in the State of California. Application and admission to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California will be required upon hire of a successful applicant, if not already admitted.

• Be experienced in document review and analysis for lengthy cases; managing a variety of expert witnesses, including engineers, economists, and appraisers; and must work collaboratively with other attorneys and City personnel.

The ideal candidate will have:

• At least 3 years of litigation experience in municipal law, with extensive knowledge and practical experience in the areas of law handled by the Land Use, Writs, and Appeal Unit.

• Proven litigation abilities and strong research, writing, and advocacy skills.

• Trial or appellate oral argument experience is highly desirable.

Attorneys in this position must be able to travel to locations outside the office for court hearings, depositions, or meetings; therefore, possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and personal vehicle or other means to travel are required. 

NOTES:

The City of San Diego and Deputy City Attorney Association (DCAA) are in continuous negotiations of the future Memorandum of Understanding. Job bulletins will be updated with anticipated future wage increases for Deputy City Attorneys as information becomes available.

Work-life balance is important to us! The City Attorney's Office generally supports remote teleworking and the position may allow for a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-office and remote work after the introductory and probationary period. Please refer to the Office's teleworking policy. 

Compensation and Benefits: The successful candidate’s annual salary is based on the Deputy City Attorney salary table and dependent on qualifications and level of relevant legal experience. For further salary information, refer to the Deputy City Attorney Salary Table.

In addition to a competitive salary, the City of San Diego offers a comprehensive benefits package including: 

• Participation in the City's Flexible Benefits Plan, which offers several optional benefit plans or a taxable cash option.
• $50,000 in City-paid life insurance.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Paid annual leave (paid time off) accruing at 22 days per year for the 1st through 15th year of service.
• San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System (SDCERS) defined benefit (pension) plan.
• Voluntary Defined Contribution Plans (401(k)/457(b)).
• Retiree Medical Trust Plan.
• Holidays – Eleven (11) paid holidays are provided annually and one (1) Floating Holiday in a fiscal year.
• Long-Term Disability Income Plan.
• Eleven paid holidays annually and one floating holiday (paid time off) each fiscal year.

Other Miscellaneous Benefits: 

• Free MTS transit pass.
• City-awarded discretionary leave (paid time off).
• Up to 8 weeks of paid Parental Leave.
• Paid time off for jury duty. 
• Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave each fiscal year.
• Employee Assistance Program.

To learn more about all the employee benefits, please review the Benefits Summary for DCAA Employees. Some benefits currently offered to employees may be modified in the future. 

For further information, please contact the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-6600. Retirement benefits for this unclassified position depend on the candidate's eligible status (new hire, rehire, etc.). 

Pre-Employment Requirements: 
Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this job, which may include but are not limited to the following:

• Proof of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States. 
• Reference checks. 
• Fingerprint checks: fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. 
• Additional screening processes such as a background investigation. 

All these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. Misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. The City of San Diego is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace. 

How to Apply:

The San Diego City Attorney’s Office accepts online applications.  To apply, select the position title of the job opportunity and click the "Apply" link. If you need assistance, please refer to our online employment application guide: 

To be considered for this position, applicants will need to submit the following by the closing date:

• San Diego City Attorney employment application, including supplemental questions.
• Cover letter and resume. 
• A writing sample (no more than 5 pages; can be an excerpt of a document) that demonstrates their legal writing skills and reflects their own original work product.  

Following the closing date, resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. If a job has an extended deadline, applications will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached. The interview process may be used to fill additional, future vacancies.

Individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. If an applicant has questions or concerns related to the recruitment process or needs accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, contact (619) 533-5811. The City of San Diego has an active Equal Opportunity/ADA Program for employment and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. 

Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION:  The San Diego City Attorney's Office is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It is vitally important to the Office that as public servants, we represent the community we serve. To that end, the Office strongly encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply. In furtherance of the Office’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Office has an active Committee for Diversity & Inclusion and Racial Equity Task Force.