Deputy City Attorney III or IV-Litigation

Below are the main duties of the Deputy City Attorney III or IV.  You can view the full job description by clicking on the link (Deputy City Attorney III)  and (Deputy City Attorney IV).

• Represent the City in litigation and other legal proceedings brought by or against the City, including matters involving municipal law, tort liability, contracts, construction, civil rights, environmental law, employment law, land use, and writ of mandate actions, among others. 
• Minimize the City’s liability and exposure by conducting timely risk assessments and proactively notifying the client/department so that effective remedial measures can be implemented. 
• Work collaboratively across departments and represent the City in the most sensitive and complex litigation matters.
• Conduct legal research, interpret and apply statutes, regulations, codes, and court decisions.
• Attend and participate in professional group meetings, maintain awareness of new trends and developments in the field of municipal law, and incorporate new developments as appropriate.
• Perform related duties as required.

Experience and Education:

Deputy City Attorney III: Four years of increasingly responsible litigation experience and an additional two years of journey-level litigation experience. 

Deputy City Attorney IV:  Six years of increasingly responsible litigation experience and an additional two years of journey-level litigation experience. 

License/Certification Required: Membership in the State Bar of California and license to practice in the federal courts. Possession of an appropriate, valid California driver’s license.
 
 Knowledge of: 

• General Municipal law, the California Tort Claims Act, Civil Rights and Constitutional law as applied to government actors (particularly 42 U.S. Code section 1983 and the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, the California Public Records Act, and the California Environmental Quality Act.
• Municipal, state, and federal laws, ordinances and codes affecting City government.
• Legal research methods and local court rules and procedures.
• The California Code of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and law and motion and discovery rules and practices in federal and state court.
• Public contact and community relations.

Ability to: 

• Effectively communicate one-on one, in judicial and administrative proceedings, and in public meetings that require clear, concise, and objective responses to complex legal questions.
• Creatively and efficiently research and analyze complex legal issues.
• Prepare organized, persuasive, and nuanced legal opinions and briefs.
• Work independently in investigating facts, researching legal precedents, defining legal and factual issues, drafting necessary legal documents and developing conclusions and recommendations.
• Personally and individually handle a case from start to finish, including at trial.
• Proactively assess legal risks and develop and employ a strategic approach to litigation.
• Work closely with department heads and City staff to examine potential legal impacts and risks, including operational and financial impacts.
• Maintain very high ethical standards.
• Navigate California's local government political/financial/legal landscape.
• Work as a member of a team and devise collaborative solutions to issues and problems.
• Meet deadlines and work in a challenging and fast-paced legal environment.