Deputy City Attorney III / IV

About Us
The Los Angeles City Attorney's office is one of the nation's largest municipal law offices. With over 1,000 legal professionals, including 500 attorneys, the Office provides the City with the highest caliber of legal services, ranging from prosecuting criminal misdemeanors and playing a leading role in criminal justice reform, 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, and fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment, are key to making a positive impact.

The Port of Los Angeles (POLA) Division handles all legal matters for the Board of Harbor Commissioners, the Los Angeles Harbor Department, and Harbor Department management and staff.  The Port is a unique work environment, in which diverse legal matters arise.

Division attorneys work closely, under the supervision of the Division’s General Counsel, with the members of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, Harbor Department management and staff on a wide variety of legal matters pertaining to the operation of the Port.  The selected candidate is expected to focus on civil litigation, both defensive and affirmative, and appeals.  The POLA Division routinely handles litigation and disputes, and other matters arising in the following areas:  real estate (including unlawful detainer and landlord-tenant litigation); land use (including applicable environmental laws, the Tidelands Trust and the California Coastal Act); commercial transactions and competitive solicitations for construction, real estate and other opportunities at the Port; insurance coverage under liability and other forms of specialized policies; employment and personnel matters; tort and contract claims not covered by insurance.  While the selected candidate is expected to focus on litigation in the aforementioned areas, they  will also handle assignments involving compliance advice, and transactional matters in other areas listed below, depending on their skills and/or qualifications and the operational needs of the Division.  Examples of these areas include:

• Municipal governance, primarily pursuant to the State Tidelands Act, Coastal Act, Los Angeles City Charter and Administrative Code, California Public Records Act, and Brown Act;
• Real Estate transactional, typically relating to leasing the property the Port holds in trust for the State;
• Transactional/Contracting/Financial/Business, relative to construction and service contracts, Requests for Proposals and other competitive solicitations undertaken by the Port, insurance and other agreements related to Department operations, and strategic commercial matters; tariffs setting rates and charges and operating rules for use of Harbor Department facilities; and revenue bonds;
• Regulatory/Environmental, in relation to CEQA, NEPA, Coastal Act, CERCLA, RCRA, and Clean Water Act, among other laws.  This practice requires frequent work with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Department of Toxic Substance Control, California Air Resources Board, South Coast Air Quality Management, and US Army Corps of Engineers;
• Construction/Development, and advice and counsel on project formulation and implementation, construction bidding and contracts and disputes;
• Risk Management, including insurance policies, claims and workers’ compensation.

• Licensed to practice law in all courts in the State of California;
• Minimum ten (10) years relevant legal experience in one or more of the above-listed expertise areas;
• Demonstrated experience and success in civil litigation, with particular emphasis in one or more of the following areas:  insurance coverage and insurance coverage litigation; defense of employment claims; and real estate and/or landlord-tenant litigation;
• Ability to deal effectively with their colleagues, public officials, non-attorney department personnel and members of the public.

Desired Qualifications

• Strong written and oral communication skills; 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated success in civil litigation and/or appeals, preferably including successful trials and appeals.  Applicants are requested to provide citations to any published cases in which they acted as counsel, and to summarize their role in such cases;
• Willingness to work in practice areas in which the applicant currently is not familiar.  

Writing Sample

Candidates must provide two (2) writing samples they personally authored in the last two years, at least one of which, preferably, is a dispositive motion such as a motion for summary judgment.

Requirements for Application

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Writing Sample - Required to submit 2 writing samples

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 (213) 978-7160.