Legal Assistant I - ACE

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, service and accountability, 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 ACE Program is an alternative method of enforcement for violations of the Los Angeles Municipal Code. An administrative citation-ticket would be issued to a violator in place of a criminal citation or arrest. The current process results in a criminal conviction with penalties that include probation, fines, and jail. An administrative citation can be resolved by paying a fine, and there would be no resulting criminal record. ACE offers a compelling alternative to incarceration-oriented systems for appropriate offenders and is aligned with national, state, and local efforts to promote new “smart justice” prevention, intervention, and diversion approaches.

The position is part of the Executive Branch and will report directly to the Supervising Attorney for ACE.

The Legal Assistant will work closely with the Supervising Attorney and staff assigned to ACE and provide legal and administrative support services. The Legal Assistant will assist in the preparation of administrative hearings, track ACE referrals, conduct legal research, conduct research of municipal code terms, and conduct research of case law and prior adjudication histories on database systems such as WestLaw. Process hearing notification letters and other correspondence, coordinate administrative hearings, compile hearing exhibits, prepare declarations and pleadings for administrative hearings. Assist in the development of training materials, attend weekly and bi-monthly meetings to review current hearing status and maintain updated status reports. Prepare monthly progress and status reports, gather documents and other materials as needed from other City departments and law enforcement agencies. Other duties as assigned. This position will be highly involved with the processing of citations issued by the Housing Department under the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance. 

The Legal Assistant position requires at least six months of legal administrative experience which requires a thorough knowledge of legal procedures and terminology and independent judgment in analyzing, interpreting and reviewing legal documents;

-or- 

Successful completion of one Legal Assistant (Paralegal) class (equivalent to 3 units), which includes emphasis on legal procedures, terminology and the ability to use independent judgment in analyzing, interpreting and reviewing legal documents. The course may have been taken through a college or university.

The position requires someone self-motivated, learns quickly, exercises independent judgment, and can work with minimal supervision. Applicants must also possess excellent organizational skills and can work well with city staff, enforcement officers and members of the public. Reliable attendance and punctuality are essential.

This position also requires a person to lift boxes (up to 25 lbs.) with or without accommodations.

Reliable attendance and punctuality are essential. The normal business hours for this position are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday however operational needs may require occasional work outside the normal business hours.

Desired Qualifications

A thorough knowledge of legal procedures and the ability to compile and analyze documents and proficient personal computer skills. 

Demonstrated writing and research skills, proficiency with MS Word, Excel, WestLaw, and the ability to learn new databases.

Requirements for Application 

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

Current Location and Parking

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

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 one (1) Year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the one (1) year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

Application and Deadline

Interested candidates should go to: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacityattorney/

to apply online by Friday, November 6, 2026.

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.