SUPERVISING ASSISTANT CORPORATION COUNSEL (T.E.D) (Promotional) - Law Department Employees Only

LAW DEPARTMENT

SUPERVISING ASSISTANT CORPORATION COUNSEL

TRANSACTIONAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (Promotional)

We represent Detroit in all civil actions.

Established by the Detroit City Charter, the law department is an independent agency that represents the interests of the City of Detroit as a corporate body. The Department is headed by Corporation Counsel, whose mission is to provide a variety of legal services to the City, its elected officials, departments, agencies, offices, commissions, and boards, as well as its individual employees, in their official capacity.

The Department has dozens of attorneys, specializing in various areas, who provide legal advice. Opinions, and counsel to clients; defend all legal actions against the City; purse legal action as needed to protect the City  and its interests; prosecute violations of State law and/or City Ordinances on behalf of the people of the City of Detroit and assist in drafting  City ordinances and other legal instruments, including all transactional and contractual   documents which would legally bind the city.

Under general supervision, supervises a group of professional subordinates responsible for the law department’s transactional practice including contracts, zoning, environmental, land use and other regulatory matters, real property, loans, and economics development.

Supervise a group of attorneys engaged in the provision of a wide variety of professional services including:

• Contracts – drafting, negotiating and reviewing professional services, personal services, general services, legal services and construction contracts on behalf of the City of Detroit. Interact regularly with City departments to draft contract amendments, provide advice on contract issues and assist in the resolution of issues arising between the City and its numerous contractors. Also review pre-bid documents, surety bonds and certificates of insurance.
• Real property transactions – serving as counsel for the acquisition, conveyance and development of real property including the preparation and review of deeds, development agreements, sales and purchase agreements involving the City of Detroit.
• Leases – for the City of Detroit (both as landlord and as tenant) and non-possessory interests such as easements, occupancy permits, rights of entry and street encroachment permits.
• Zoning and Land Use – Preparing and reviewing zoning ordinance amendments, interpreting the City zoning ordinance, advising the Board of Zoning Appeals City Planning Commission Historic District Advisory Board, Planning and Development and Historic Commission on land use issues, providing counsel regarding master plan and site plan reviews.
• Prepare legal opinions on complex matter Review and countersign legal opinions submitted by subordinate attorneys.
• Perform, on an individual basis with limited supervisory review, complex, difficult and specialized work requiring extensive training and experience and unusual legal capacity in the property, contracts and transactional areas. Such an assignment will include advising and counseling clients, preparing legal documents and handling complex and significant transactions, projects and client matters.
• Provide strategic legal counsel to executive leadership and business units on a wide range of legal issues. Manage relationships with outside counsel and coordinate legal support. Support non-departmental administrative and other responsibilities necessitated by client department needs.
• Demonstrate capacity to work independently with the expectation that only the difficult, complex or unusual projects will be reviewed by a supervisor.
• Responsible for day – to -day management of group. Duties include:
• Planning work distribution and assigning legal work to the individual attorneys based on the complexity of the work involved, existence of legal precedents, financial implications to the city and the relative experience and ability of subordinates.
• Assigning legal work to attorneys in the group based upon complexity of issue/matter, and experience level, skill sets and workload of attorneys, the financial implications to the City of Detroit and the nature of the public interest in the matter.
• Providing guidance and support subordinate attorneys as needed to ensure the successful and timely completion of all assignments.
• Evaluating performance and identifying training and professional development opportunities for subordinate attorneys.
• Train new attorneys and support staff.
• Perform administrative assignments as required.
• Keep supervisors informed and apprised of important and significant developments.

• Knowledge of the techniques of legal research, particularly as applied to municipal corporation law.
• Knowledge of legal subjects of State and Federal statues, municipal codes, and ordinances as applicable to municipal law.
• Skill in developing legal arguments and the application of legal principles to complex legal problems.
• Skill in leading complex transactions.
• Previous supervisory experience or demonstrated ability to supervise others.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; effective communication skills at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to problem solve and display resourcefulness and initiative in handling legal matters.
• Willingness to be on site five (5) days per week.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree from an approved American Bar Association Institution.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in the practice of law, with four (4) years of related experience in the specified practice area.

 Licenses, Certifications, and Other Special Requirements

• Licenses to practice law and in good standing in the State of Michigan.

THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO

ACTIVE LAW EMPLOYEES ONLY

PLEASE ATTACH AN UPDATED RESUME AND ANY CERTIFICATIONS

WITH YOUR APPLICATION

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSISERED

Notes:

• A review of the applicant’s attendance records and work performance will be considered in the promotional process.
• Person applying must meet the position qualifications, including licensing and certifications.
• Completion of an evaluation process is required.
• If you have applied for the position, you must re-apply to be considered for this vacancy.

Supervising Assistant Corporation Counsel (Promotional Opportunity)