Assistant City Attorney

JOB SUMMARY

Under general direction of the City Attorney and/or Deputy City Attorney and within guidelines set by policies, rules, and regulations, this position provides legal services to the city including representation of the city in civil matters , litigation of claims and suits filed on behalf of or against the city and the provision of legal guidance to the City of Northport, its officers, and employees.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Participates in all stages of legal proceedings including appeals; develops and implements legal strategy for pending cases; researches laws and ordinances pertaining to cases; interprets codes, regulations, and policies; drafts and files legal questions, motions, requests, and briefs; reviews and analyzes case records; prepares witness examinations, cross-examinations, depositions; presents oral arguments in jury and non-jury trials; negotiates settlement of cases.
• Provides legal advice and assistance to city departments pertaining to changes in criminal law, city ordinances, and Municipal Court procedures; assists departments in the preparation for implementation of changes and in the recommendation for changes to existing law or procedures.
• Represents the city in civil litigation and plaintiff actions at the discretion of the City Attorney; enforces contracts and permits; files numerous plaintiff cases relating to the collection of debt owed to city; defends or assists in the defense of legal claims against the city; represents employees or officials in the defense of any action performed while acting in an official capacity on behalf of the city.
• Assists the City Attorney and/or Deputy City Attorney in the provision of legal guidance to the Mayor and the City Council pertaining to municipal issues; drafts and reviews myriad ordinances, and resolutions as required for action by the City Council; attends City Council meetings.
• Researches, analyzes, composes and drafts myriad legal and administrative briefs, contracts, permits, pleadings, amendments, settlements, and correspondence; researches laws and ordinances; confers with supervisors, city officials, attorneys, elected officials, and staff; ensures all legal documents are in compliance with local, state, and federal codes and regulations.
• Receives and calendars court dockets; forwards dockets to appropriate personnel for recording and notification to applicable personnel, agencies, and individuals.
• Attends meetings, seminars, and training sessions to remain knowledgeable of departmental operations, to promote improved departmental performance, and to advise on changing state/municipal codes and criminal/civil law, policies, and regulations; participates in governmental and professional committees; provides advice and guidance; makes presentations and conducts lectures on relevant issues to a variety of professional and municipal organizations; serves as media spokesperson on behalf of the city.
• Shares knowledge with city officials, departments, municipalities, staff, and the general public for mutual and departmental benefit; develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with officials, departments, representatives from organizations, and the public so as to maintain good will toward the city and to project a good department image.
• Conducts investigations and/or inquiries at the request of the Mayor, City Council, and department heads.
• Answers phone and directs calls to appropriate person; responds to inquiries from law offices, general public, and departments. 
• Fills in for co-workers.
• Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, in a timely manner.
• Performs other reasonably related duties in a safe manner as assigned by immediate supervisor or other supervisors as required.

Education and Experience:

Juris Doctorate and membership in good standing with the Alabama State Bar Association with a minimum of two (2) years’ experience in municipal, criminal, constitutional law, or related field, preferably in a public sector environment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 

Special Qualifications:

• Must attend continuing education courses as stipulated by state law. 
• Possession of a valid, State of Alabama driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle.  Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of City ordinances, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other similar programs).
• Skill in planning and organizing work.
• Skill in utilizing such office equipment as a calculator, typewriter, facsimile machine, and copier.
• Skill in interpersonal relations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and the general public.
• Skill in verbal and written communication.
• Skill in the use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
• Skill in using computers for data entry, word processing, and/or accounting purposes.
• Ability to compare and/or judge functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of date, people, or things which may include complex legal codes, regulations, opinions, and legislative documents; technical, financial, and administrative date, graphs, blueprints, charts, and other records relevant to the position.
• Ability to speak with, write, and/or signal people to convey or exchange legal, technical, financial, and administrative information, including giving/receiving assignments and/or directions to/from city officials, co-workers, assistants, managers, or supervisors as well as communicating with elected officials and the general public.
• Ability to read a variety of legal, technical, financial, and administrative documentation, directions, instructions, and methods and procedures.  
• Ability to write complex legal documentation and reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech.  
• Ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice such as in public speaking situations before judicial entities, civic agencies, and the general public.
• Ability to learn, understand, and apply complex legal principles and techniques, to understand departmental policies and procedures, to make independent judgments in absence of supervision, and to acquire and be able to expound on knowledge of topics related to primary occupation.
• Ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide, calculate decimals and percentages, computer descriptive statistics and statistical inference.
• Ability to adapt to and perform under moderate stress when confronted with an emergency.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Ability to organize and communicate effectively.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationship with other employees and the public. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: 

• Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand. Must have the ability to place records, files, and boxes weighing no more than 25 pounds on shelves about head level.
• Hearing 2: Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound. Must have the ability to hear well enough to carry on a normal conversation with clients both in person and on the telephone.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling. Must have the ability to efficiently operate a computer, calculator, fax, copy machine and other related office machines.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Visual Acuity 1: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. Must have the ability to see well enough to interpret data on a computer monitor.
• Visual Acuity 4: Have visual acuity to operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment. 
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. Must have the ability to move freely about the office.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is primarily performed indoors without exposure to harmful conditions.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.