Deputy City Attorney (Civil Advisory Division, Gun Violence Response Unit)

See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

The San Diego City Attorney's Office protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego’s elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City’s prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 175 lawyers and approximately 220 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego. 

The Civil Advisory Division is conducting a recruitment to fill a Deputy City Attorney position in the Public Services and Public Safety Section’s Gun Violence Response Unit (GVRU), to take effect on a date to be determined after the review process is complete. Attorneys who possess the knowledge and experience required may be selected for an interview. The Deputy City Attorney will report to Senior Chief Deputy Michelle Garland and Lead Deputy Blair McGregor in the Public Services and Public Safety Section. The GVRU handles the San Diego City Attorney’s nationally recognized Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) program, as well as petitions to destroy firearms, and participates in the San Diego Countywide Gun Relinquishment Task Force. The GVRU represents and regularly provides training to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD). In the course of their work, Deputies in the GVRU may also be called upon to handle matters involving First, Second, and Fourth Amendment issues, Public Records Act requests or media inquiries, or other public safety or gun violence-related legal issues.

Deputies in the Gun Violence Response Unit routinely: 

• Regularly appear in court to represent SDPD during the petition process.
• Thoroughly respond to SDPD questions with legal accuracy. 
• Train SDPD on GVRU process and legal issues.
• Participate in meetings and conduct trainings for SDPD and other law enforcement agencies.
• Attend community meetings, providing information and education about the GVRU as appropriate.
• Display strong and persuasive oral and written advocacy skills.
• Exercise problem solving and initiative to improve the City’s gun violence response program.
• Work effectively and cooperatively as part of a team, as well completing assignments autonomously.
• Maintain high ethical standards, demonstrating integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness.

Applicants are required to: 

• Be licensed to practice law in good standing in all courts in the State of California.
• Have at least four years of municipal law experience.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Knowledge of federal, state and local firearms regulations including, but not limited to, civil firearms petition and restraining orders, and firearms relinquishment procedures.
• Practical courtroom experience conducting hearings, applying the Evidence Code and crafting court orders as applicable. Criminal, civil, or appellate experience is desirable.  
• Experience or understanding of filing civil petitions such as GVROs, other types of restraining orders, petitions to destroy firearms, other types of civil proceedings, or appellate work. 
• High level of comfort communicating with law enforcement officers, respondents, witnesses, victims, judges, and defense counsel. 
• Knowledge of search warrant law including drafting and reviewing search warrants. The assigned Deputy may be required to periodically maintain an on-call, after-hours schedule for search warrant review or other emergency matters.

NOTES:

The following wage increases are scheduled to effect for Deputy City Attorneys:

• An additional 5% general wage increase will be effective January 1, 2025.
• An additional 5% general wage increase will be effective July 1, 2025.

Work-life balance is important to us! The City Attorney's Office generally supports remote teleworking and the position may allow for a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-office and remote work after the introductory and probationary period. Please refer to the Office's teleworking policy. 

Compensation and Benefits: The successful candidate’s annual salary is based on the Deputy City Attorney salary table and dependent on qualifications and level of relevant legal experience. For further salary information, refer to the Deputy City Attorney Salary Table.

In addition to a competitive salary, the City of San Diego offers a comprehensive benefits package including: 

• Participation in the City's Flexible Benefits Plan, which offers several optional benefit plans or a taxable cash option.
• $50,000 in City-paid life insurance.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Paid annual leave (paid time off) accruing at 22 days per year for the 1st through 15th year of service.
• San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System (SDCERS) defined benefit (pension) plan.
• Voluntary Defined Contribution Plans (401(k)/457(b)).
• Retiree Medical Trust Plan.
• Holidays – Eleven (11) paid holidays are provided annually and one (1) Floating Holiday in a fiscal year.
• Long-Term Disability Income Plan.
• Eleven paid holidays annually and one floating holiday (paid time off) each fiscal year.

Other Miscellaneous Benefits: 

• Free MTS transit pass.
• City-awarded discretionary leave (paid time off).
• Up to 8 weeks of paid Parental Leave.
• Paid time off for jury duty. 
• Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave each fiscal year.
• Professional Development Reimbursement up to $2,000 for the cost of professional tuition, publications, and equipment purchases each fiscal year.
• Employee Assistance Program.

To learn more about all the employee benefits, please review the Benefits Summary for DCAA Employees. Some benefits currently offered to employees may be modified in the future. 

For further information, please contact the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-6600. Retirement benefits for this unclassified position depend on the candidate's eligible status (new hire, rehire, etc.). 

Pre-Employment Requirements:  
 Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this job, which may include but are not limited to the following: 

• Proof of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States. 
• Reference checks. 
• Fingerprint checks: fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. 
• Additional screening processes such as a background investigation. 

All these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. Misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. The City of San Diego is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace. 

HOW TO APPLY:

The San Diego City Attorney's Office accepts online applications. To apply, select the position title of the job opportunity and click the "Apply" link. If you need assistance, please refer to our online employment application guide.

To be considered for this position, applicants will need to submit the following by the closing date: 

• San Diego City Attorney employment application, including responses to the supplemental questions. 
• Cover letter and resume.

Following the closing date, resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. If a job has an extended deadline, applications will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached. Interested candidates who are not selected may be considered to fill future vacancies in GVRU. Please contact Senior Chief Deputy Michelle Garland directly if you have any questions about this challenging and exciting new opportunity.

Individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. If an applicant has questions or concerns related to the recruitment process or needs accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, contact (619) 533-5811. The City of San Diego has an active Equal Opportunity/ADA Program for employment and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. 

Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: 

The San Diego City Attorney's Office is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The Office is led by the first woman and first Latina in City history elected to the position. It is vitally important to the Office that, as public servants, we represent the community we serve. To that end, the Office strongly encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply. In furtherance of the Office’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Office has an active Committee for Diversity & Inclusion and Racial Equity Task Force.