Deputy City Attorney

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ABOUT THE LAW DEPARTMENT

The mission of the Law Department is to provide quality legal services to the City of Austin so that it can govern lawfully with the highest level of integrity and serve the community effectively. As the chief legal advisor for the City, the Law Department provides legal advice and representation to the Mayor, City Council, City Officers, City Manager, city departments, boards, and commissions of the City.

The City Attorneys' Office is committed to providing excellent, timely, and cost-effective legal advice to our clients to support their efforts to serve the citizens of Austin. The Law Department is organized into seven legal practice divisions. Although the department's attorneys are assigned to practice in a specific division, they are trained to have a general knowledge of municipal law practice, as many legal issues cross over into multiple practice areas. The Law Department has a diverse staff of talented professionals with the expertise to provide comprehensive legal services for the wide variety of legal issues facing our city.

Job Description : Deputy City Attorney

Purpose :

Under the direction of the City Attorney, this position reports directly to the City Attorney and assists the City Attorney in managing, planning, and general oversight of the daily operations of the Law Department. This includes assistance in such areas as coordinating the department's role in developing the City Council agenda, monitoring outside counsel contracts, coordinating the City's response to open records requests, planning and organizing workloads and staff assignments, oversight of the department's budget and business planning process, and development and implementation of office policy.

Duties, Functions, and Responsibilities :

Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

1. Represents the City in litigation and legal proceedings.

2. Provides legal advice and counsel to the City Manager, department heads, administrators and other City staff in their official capacities.

3. Drafts, approves and files legal opinions or objections to each ordinance before Council action.

4. Reviews and approves all documents, contracts, and legal instruments in which the City may have an interest.

5. Reviews and presents legal opinions to Council and the City staff on municipal activities to ensure compliance with the City Charter.

6. Negotiates legal problems with interest groups, vendors and customers of the City, the general public and officials of the court.

7. Attends Council meetings to provide legal advice and to maintain first-hand knowledge of policies.

8. Reads and reviews statutes, legal opinions, and other documents to maintain knowledge of local, state, and federal legislation and jurisprudence affecting municipal operations, programs, and activities.

9. Prepares and approves resolutions for Council.

10. Develops and approves legal contracts and agreements.

Responsibilities - Supervisor and / or Leadership Exercised :

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

Minimum Qualifications :

Licenses and Certifications Required :

The Ideal Candidate :

The selected candidates will have substantial experience in municipal law or general government law, and strong interpersonal skills.

The following core competencies are important for this role :

Notes to Candidate :

To view the detailed Recruitment Profile for this position, please click here.

To view the City of Austin recruitment video, please click here.

Working with the City of Austin provides a number of health and welfare benefits such as low-cost medical, dental, vision, paid leave time, a highly competitive retirement plan, training opportunities and more. Please click HERE for more information.

Salary Range : Commensurate

Regarding Your Application :

EEO Statement for City of Austin :

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual's AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.