Deputy City Attorney II/III

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.

The Employment Litigation Division defends City departments and individual City employees in employment litigation brought by current and former employees. The Division’s practice has a strong focus on public safety employees (Police and Fire); however, the work includes a variety of cases from many City departments.

Most of the litigation involves California state law employment theories, especially those arising under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) and Labor Code § 1102.5 (the whistleblower statute). However, a working knowledge of labor law and theories in federal employment litigation is helpful in analyzing the cases. 

The selected attorney will be responsible for:

• Representing the City in all phases of trial level labor and employment litigation;
• Presenting recommendations to City Council and attendant bodies;
• Meeting with high ranking appointed and elected City employees and officials;
• Analyzing legal liability and damages at all phases of litigation;
• Law and motion preparation and argument;
• Creating and implementing a case handling and litigation strategy from inception of litigation through trial; and
• Other related duties as assigned

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

• Significant jury trial experience (civil or criminal) to verdict;
• At least three years of litigation practice in California Superior Court or United States District Court;
• Demonstrated strong research and writing skills in complex areas of law; 
• Ability to deal effectively with public officials, departmental personnel and members of the public;
• Strong analytical and reasoning skills, good judgment, and a strong work ethic; and
• Strong oral communication and advocacy skills. 

Requirements for Application 

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• List of jury trials 
• Candidates are required to submit two writing samples personally composed by the applicant in the past two years.

Current Location

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

Work Location and Parking

This position requires regular onsite work. Employer-provided parking is limited and may not be available for this classification. Employees may be responsible for securing and paying for parking at nearby facilities.

Applicants are encouraged to review available commute and transportation resources through the City’s COMMUTEwell program. For more information, please visit: https://lacommutewell.com. 

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

For internal applicants only – Placement in this position will initially be as a lateral transfer with the selected candidate assuming the position in their current classification. 

Retirement Benefits

Employees participate in the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS), which includes mandatory employee pension contributions through payroll deduction. The City also contributes toward the employee’s retirement benefit. Contribution rates are established by the applicable retirement system and may

vary based on employee classification, membership status, and other factors. For more information, please visit: https://www.lacers.org. 

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 theConflict-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.