Assistant City Attorney

About Us

The Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney is one of the nation's largest municipal law offices. With over 1,000 legal professionals, including 500 attorneys, the Office provides the City of Los Angeles (“City”) with the highest caliber of legal services, ranging from prosecuting criminal misdemeanors and playing a leading role in criminal justice reform to advising on homelessness initiatives, defending civil lawsuits and claims, and bringing civil enforcement actions in the name of the People of the State of California.

Guided by an overarching commitment to integrity, accountability and transparency, we find great meaning in the work we do and the services we provide.

We seek collaborative team players who understand that fulfilling our mission is key to making a positive impact.

Ethics and Election Team attorneys work closely together. The Ethics attorney will be the lead ethics attorney for the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, serving as counsel to the Ethics Commission, working with attorneys in the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney advising departments and offices, directly advising other officials on questions of ethics, conflicts, and proper use of public resources. The team also advises the City Clerk and other officials on election matters including ballot measures as well as governance issues.

The Ethics Attorney will be responsible for:

• Written and oral advice on conflicts of interest and governmental ethics to City Attorney colleagues, advising Departments, and to public officials directly.  
• Legal advice to the City Ethics Commission and coordinating with the Ethics Commission staff on related advice.  
• Legal advice on campaign finance reform proposals, the regulation of lobbyists, use of public funds, the interpretation of the City Charter and other issues.
• Assist on other matters such as the conduct of elections and other related duties as assigned.  

Applicants for this position must have a valid license to practice law in all of the courts within the State of California.  Additional requirements include:

• At least ten (10) years of legal experience, which includes at least three (3) years researching and advising on governmental ethics and conflicts of interest.
• Strong analytical and reasoning abilities.
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• Strong oral communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively and professionally with colleagues and public officials.
• Discretion in handling sensitive matters. 
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment.

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with City Governance and City Charter and related laws including Brown Act and Public Records laws.
• Familiarity with City Ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying laws.

Requirements for Application 

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Candidates are required to submit two recent writing samples personally authored in the last two years.

Current Location

City Hall East, 200 N. Main Street, Los Angeles. Position is subject to assignment at any location of the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney. 

Probation

Appointment to this exempt position (non Civil-Service) will be subject to a two year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the two-year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

Classification

Internal applicants: Placement in this position will be as a lateral transfer with the selected candidate assuming the position in their current classification.

Application and Deadline

Interested candidates should go to: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacityattorney/ to apply online.

Conflict-of-Interest

This position is designated as Category 1 on the Conflict-of-Interest Code. 

Contact

Questions? Please email atty.recruit@lacity.org.

AS A COVERED ENTITY UNDER TITLE Il OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY AND, UPON REQUEST, WILL PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO ITS PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES. TO REQUEST A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, PLEASE CALL THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION AT (213) 978-7160.