Assistant City Attorney 3 - Litigation Counsel

Salary Range12,828.00 - 19,242.00Job SummaryThe City of Vancouver:

With a population of over 190,000 residents, Vancouver, Washington sits on the north bank of the Columbia River directly across from Portland, Oregon. The Pacific Coast is less than 90 miles to the west and the Cascade Mountain Range rises on the east. Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and Mt. Hood are less than two hours away while the spectacular Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area lies 30 minutes to the east. Vancouver combines the excitement of a major metropolitan area with small-town charm and abundant recreational opportunities. Vancouver enjoys mild weather with less average annual rainfall than cities like Boston, Washington, D.C., or Atlanta. Its seasons are distinct and summer temperatures generally climb into the 80s while winter nights rarely fall below 30 degrees. This moderate climate creates lush forests and abundant foliage. The Columbia River is a central feature of the local environment as it connects and sustains the community. The river provides fantastic recreational opportunities and helps nurture wildlife, evergreen forests, agriculture, neighborhoods, and businesses. The 7.3-acre Vancouver Waterfront Park is a central component of a 32-acre, high density, mixed-use urban development called The Waterfront Vancouver. This community park incorporates public open spaces with the Columbia River and the Columbia River Renaissance Trail connects Vancouver Waterfront Park to Wintler Park, over 5 miles away. Other economic drivers in the community include common industries such as healthcare and education (with Washington State University - Vancouver and Clark College) as well as unique business operations like Banfield Pet Hospital, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, StairMaster, and Nautilus.

The Position:

The Vancouver City Attorney’s Office (“CAO”) is seeking a highly-motivated Assistant City Attorney III (“ACA III”) for its litigation team. This at-will exempt position is under general direction of the Deputy City Attorney. The CAO provides legal advice and analysis to various City departments. As a member of the CAO litigation team, the successful candidate will represent the City in all aspects of civil litigation from initial investigations through post-judgment appeals, including trials, mediation and arbitrations. Top contenders will have the knowledge, skills, and ability to: perform a complete range of civil legal work and present cases before any court within the State of Washington, U.S. District Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; present facts, arguments, and laws clearly and logically in written and oral form in business, administrative, and courtroom settings; analyze exceptionally complex legal problems and arguments; conduct legal research; draft ordinances, contracts, and other legal instruments, including pleadings and briefs; and work in a fast-paced, professional office environment while balancing multiple projects and deadlines. In addition to extensive trial experience, expertise in one or more of the following areas is a definite plus: municipal law, land use, community & economic development, public utilities, construction, contracts, public procurement, privacy, public records, information technology (IP law), tax, corporate law, real estate, and/or code compliance.

This is a full-time, regular, exempt position. The schedule for this position is M-F, 8am to 5pm.Job Details

Essential functions and responsibilities include:

• The Litigation Counsel position is responsible for providing written and oral advocacy on behalf of the City, its directors, managers, employees, boards, commissions and volunteers in judicial and/or administrative proceedings.
• Collaborate with director(s) of their assigned department(s) to identify/affirm a shared understanding of client goals, objectives and risk tolerances.  Represent and advise clients on a broad range of municipal legal matters in furtherance of such goals.
• Attend meetings of the City Council, boards and commissions to provide legal advice and representation.                                                                                                                        
• Provide written and oral advice to City departments and employees on legal matters including potential litigation risks and legal questions pertaining to their respective powers, duties, functions and obligations.
• Draft contracts, ordinances, resolutions, policies, procedures, rules, regulations, memoranda, correspondence and other legal documents.
• Study and interpret laws, court decisions, ordinances, and other legal authorities.
• Prepare pleadings and handle depositions, interrogatories, pretrial motions, hearings, trials, appeals, settlement conferences and other legal matters in representation of the City, its officials, directors, managers, employees, boards, commissions and volunteers when needed.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Experience and Education

• Seven (7) or more years of professional legal experience as an attorney with an emphasis in civil litigation. Courtroom experience required.  Additionally, knowledge in one or more of the following areas is preferred: labor and employment law, municipal law, land use, community & economic development, public utilities, construction, contracts, public procurement, privacy, public records, information technology (IP law), tax, bankruptcy, corporate law, labor, employment, real estate, torts, constitutional law, code compliance.
• A Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.

Required Licenses and/or Certifications

• License and membership in good standing in the Washington State Bar Association or qualify for Admission by Motion under APR 3(c)(1) within 12 months of hire. Selected candidate must be admitted to, or eligible for admission to U.S. District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Specific legal experience dealing in the broad areas of the law will be a plus for top candidates.

The Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate will be an experienced legal professional who provides legal advice, support, and counsel to the City and various departments on an array of activities and policy initiatives. The successful applicant will have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced, and high-performance organization. The ACA III will have a collaborative style that supports transparency, innovation, and timely responses to inquiries. In support of the City Attorney and the overall mission of the City Attorney’s Office, the ACA III will be an inclusive and thoughtful legal advisor who listens first, seeks input, and then consistently presents legal options for consideration, allowing for a thorough analysis of all aspects of an issue. With broad legal experience, the ideal candidate will be able to evaluate controversial situations and present options in a clear and concise fashion. Other personal attributes include being a confident and engaging professional with outstanding communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills with a passion for public service and strong work ethic.

Compensation and Benefits:

The budgeted annual salary range for the Assistant City Attorney III position is $153,938 - $230,908. The mid-point of this range is $192,423. The entry point for new hires is based upon qualifications, experience, and internal equity. Interested candidates from out-of-state should be aware that there is no personal state income tax in the state of Washington. Additionally, the City of Vancouver offers the following benefits:

• Medical, Vision, Prescription, and Dental Insurance
• Personal Time Off and Paid Holidays
• Washington State PERS Retirement System (stable and well-funded)
• Annual payment of Washington State Bar membership dues and adequate continuing legal education opportunities to meeting MCLE compliance requirements
• Other benefits such as life and disability insurance

To Be Considered:

Interested applicants are required to submit a comprehensive résumé, a recent writing sample/pleading, and a compelling cover letter that highlights how your skills and experience would help support the City Attorney and the overall mission of the City Attorney’s Office.  Electronic submittals of supporting documents may be sent to Jacqueline Cruz jacqueline.cruz@cityofvancouver.us before the closing date of Monday, June 23. After closing, the applications will be reviewed, and semi-finalists will be scheduled for panel interviews.

This position is subject to successful completion of a pre-employment reference check, a basic criminal background check, and a driving abstract.

The City of Vancouver is committed to advancing equity and creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace. We recognize that progress depends on more than just a verbal commitment; it depends on making meaningful organizational change. We developed and continue to develop strategies to enhance employee-centered programs, eliminate recruitment and advancement barriers, elevate employee understanding of DEI and cultural competency and build an inclusive and welcoming place to call work. We hope you’ll consider joining us on the journey!

Safety: The City of Vancouver believes every employee plays a role in maintaining a safe workplace. The City of Vancouver promotes safety as a guiding principle and practice and accomplishes work by creating safe work environments, complying with safety and health policies and procedures and consistently seeking improvements that support operational excellence.

Diversity and Inclusion: At the City of Vancouver, we value and foster a workplace comprised of people with a range of different backgrounds, experiences and cultures. We recognize that a diverse and inclusive team is key to innovation, effectiveness and a positive culture. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The City of Vancouver is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that extends equal opportunity to all individuals, regardless of their race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability sexual orientation or gender identity. Employment decisions will be made to further the principle of equal employment opportunity and to comply with state, federal and local laws. We affirm through this policy statement our continuing commitment to the principles of equity and nondiscrimination.

Veterans’ Preference: Under Washington law, qualified veterans may be eligible for Veterans’ preference when applying for City of Vancouver positions. Honorably discharged Veterans, their surviving spouses or spouses of honorably discharged Veterans with a permanent and total service-connected disability who would like to be considered for a Veterans’ preference for this job should provide the qualifying documents as instructed during the application process.

ADA Accommodation: Accommodations will be considered for applicants or candidates with a qualifying disability that prevents them from participating in this process. Accommodations will be made where the City can reasonably provide them without imposing an undue hardship on the business or compromising the integrity of the recruitment process. An applicant with any disability who believes that they need an accommodation should contact Human Resources: call 360-487-8417 or email hrfront1@cityofvancouver.us

Job Posting End DateJune 23, 2025