Attorney IV - Municipal

The City Attorney’s civil section handles the full complement of legal matters and municipal legal administration for the City of Boise. Our civil services include contract review, real estate transactions, land use planning, aviation, public works, litigation, and risk management.   

Attorney IV- Municipal provides legal advice and counsel to the mayor, city council, department heads, and city employees on a wide variety of municipal law issues, such as transactional law, land use, software contracts, and municipal governance. Drafts and reviews contracts and advises city departments on regulatory and proprietary legal matters. Represents the city in litigation, administrative hearings, contract negotiations, and other legal matters and proceedings. Mentors advise and review the work of junior attorneys and provide training to deputy city attorneys, departments, and general employees. This position works under general direction. 
This position is designated as At-Will.

• Performs all duties of an Attorney I, II and III - Municipal, in addition to providing mentoring and team coordination; performs more complex, skilled tasks, and assists others as required. 
• Represents the city in civil litigation, administrative hearings and other legal matters and proceedings. 
• Drafts and reviews contracts, including real property transactions and software license agreements, ordinances, resolutions, memoranda of understanding, joint powers agreements, and other legal documents. Works and collaborates with co-workers and outside counsel on a variety of complex airport-specific projects. Drafts or amends airport-related ordinances, resolutions, rules, policies, and regulations. Drafts, reviews, and negotiates contracts for the airport on a wide variety of topics ranging from software to large construction projects and from biometric screening to valet parking. Reviews federal and state grants. 
• Researches, reads, and interprets federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Advises city clients on applicable laws and regulations. 
• Provides training for public safety officers and general city employees and provides learning opportunities for deputy city attorneys in the areas of constitutional law, risk assessment, legal compliance, and policy development. 
• Provides advice and counsel to the mayor's office, department directors, city employees, and officials on long-term leases of city properties and disposition of city-owned railroads, including procedural compliances. Advises the Planning & Development Services staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission on planning and zoning issues and development code administration. Advises the Information Technology staff on software contracts and transactions regarding network infrastructure. Advises the airport general operations staff on security, discrimination, parking, drones, First Amendment activities, and advertising. 
• Attends public meetings and provides on-the-spot legal advice and guidance to the mayor, city council, and assigned boards and commissions. Acts as legal counsel for these bodies on procedural questions and concerns regarding Open Meetings Law compliance. 
• Represents the city in complex contract negotiations, including labor and inter-jurisdictional disputes, and memorializes agreements and discussions on judicial reviews of zoning decisions, including appeals to the Idaho Supreme Court. 
• Leads, mentors, and develops newly employed and less experienced attorneys regarding complex legal issues and areas of legal practice. ()
  
  Civil Focus: Areas of emphasis may include writing contracts, codes, ordinances and resolutions; handling real property transactions; legal research and writing assignments; and attending meetings associated with city clients, including those of internal boards and commissions. 
  
  Public Safety Focus: Areas of emphasis may include providing extensive legal advice and training for police, fire and code enforcement departments; processing public records requests and property and weapons dispositions; providing advice to police officers seeking criminal arrest warrants, search warrants and magistrate inquiries; and providing backup to the criminal prosecution team and serving as an on-call advisor for the police. 
  
  Planning & Development Services: Areas of emphasis may include training staff on planning and zoning legal topics, performing transactional work with respect to acquiring real property for municipal purposes, providing guidance on best practices with respect to open meetings and public records and negotiating with third parties and other governmental agencies. 

Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school and eight years of experience in civil or criminal litigation or municipal governance.

Knowledge of:

• a particular area of law relevant to local government such as labor, property, contracts and procurement, environmental law, water law or criminal law and procedure
• public records laws, open meetings laws and Robert’s Rules of Order
• legal ethics
• civil and criminal rules
• rules of evidence
• rules of professional conduct
• civil and criminal trial procedures
• internal operating procedures, rules and regulations; federal, state, constitutional and local laws, including the Idaho Local Land Use Planning Act
• contract drafting and negotiation
• financial rules, regulations, law practices and procedures
• computer usage including relevant software.
  
  Ability to:
• provide legal training and clear and concise advice to staff and clients
• write briefs and other complex legal documents
• review, proof and critique legal research and the opinions of others
• represent the city before outside agencies, communities and elected and/or appointed officials
• draft real estate agreements, commercial leases, easement and licenses
• research and interpret federal laws, rules, orders and regulation
• work well under pressure
• communicate effectively in the English language at a level necessary for efficient job performanceperform all essential functions as assigned by an authorized employee, supervisor, and/or manager with or without a reasonable accommodation.
  
  Individuals must be capable of operating vehicles safely and have an acceptable driving record. 
  

Preferred Knowledge, Experience, And Training
Ten or more years of specialized knowledge and experience providing legal counsel and representation to a government or corporate client.

Experience working with and advising interdisciplinary work groups, and participation on a project management and implementation team training and mentoring less experienced attorneys.

Expertise in civil matters such as land use, civil litigation, public safety, risk management, environmental, aviation, human resources or contracts, and procurement law.

Ability to: provide politically sensitive legal advice and counsel consistent with open meeting, public records and other applicable laws.

Licensing And Other Requirements

Licensed and active member of the Idaho State Bar in good standing.

Valid state-issued driver’s license.

The physical effort characteristics and working environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Efforts
While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently lifting/carrying up to 20 pounds and occasionally lifting/carrying up to 50 pounds. Also, the employee is frequently pushing/pulling up to 10 pounds and occasionally pushing/pulling up to 20 pounds. The noise level is frequently moderate. Work includes sensory ability to talk, hear and smell. Work in this position also includes close vision. Employees will sit, stand and walk.

Working Environment
The work environment will include inside conditions. Employees will also drive a vehicle as part of this position.
This position works: outside of, or extends beyond, a typical 8am to 5pm M-F work week, as required.