Position Description
Restricted to current City of Minneapolis employees in the City Attorney's Office
According to the City Charter, the attorneys of the CAO serve as the attorneys and counselors at law to the mayor, city council, boards, committees, departments, and officers. The attorneys of the CAO are the exclusive representatives of the City. They can provide legal advice and opinions to the City, its officers, and staff. The purpose of the Lead Assistant City Attorney ("Lead") (formerly ACAIII) position is to provide the most advanced civil litigation representation, civil transactional representation, legal drafting, legal advice and consulting, and criminal prosecution legal services for a wide range of matters, often with the highest degree of difficulty, complexity, and public visibility, to or on behalf of the elected officials, management, representatives of assigned departments, boards, commissions and agencies of the City of Minneapolis. The Lead trains and mentors other attorneys and is the team lead on all projects the Assistant City Attorneys / Senior Assistant City Attorneys assign to them. They will coordinate the work product of the team.
Resume and Cover Letter :
Individuals are required to submit a resume and cover letter in addition to the online application.
Lead Assistant City Attorney - Client Services Special Projects (one position)
- This position in the Civil Division will coordinate and lead non-litigation-related special projects with office or enterprise-wide impact. This position will also be the Client Services lead for coordination between Civil Litigation and Client Services on projects that require participation of both units.
- In addition to this special projects work, the individual is expected to perform regular client services work at the Lead Assistant City Attorney level. This position is open to Senior Assistant City Attorneys who have client services experience.
Lead Assistant City Attorney - Civil Litigation Special Projects (one position)
This position in the Civil Division will coordinate and lead litigation-related matters that have enterprise-wide impact and advise enterprise leadership on these matters. This position will also be the Civil Litigation lead for coordination between Civil Litigation and Client Services on projects that require participation of both units.In addition to this special projects work, the individual is expected to perform regular litigation work at the Lead Assistant City Attorney level. This position is open to Senior Assistant City Attorneys who have litigation experience.Lead Assistant City Attorney - Criminal Division (two positions)
These two lead assistant city attorney positions in the criminal division will be assigned to litigation on the Trial and / or Domestic Teams . An attorney's primary role will be on the trial or domestic team, but that attorney may be asked to assist with work on the alternate team as well. Responsibilities will include :
LITIGATION :
Prepare and try criminal misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases, including those most complex.Handle specially-assigned cases as directed by the criminal deputy or criminal managing attorneys. Examples include cases involving high profile arrests, novel or complex legal arguments, or other issues requiring dedicated attention of a Lead Attorney.Direct investigative and support staff as necessary to gather evidence and build a criminal case. This will include collaborating with VWSes, Paralegals, LSSes, and investigators to maximize efficiencies and recommend improvements to standard policies and processes.MENTORING :
Provide training to and mentor other attorneys. This will include counseling on strengths and weaknesses of cases as well as offers and negotiations.Provide guidance and direction on trial and contested evidentiary hearing preps for all trial / domestic team members. Conduct meaningful evaluations of attorneys' existing preps and make recommendations for improvement by identifying and discussing key issues.Second chair trials and contested evidentiary hearings as requested, or when a novel or complex legal issue is litigated.Complete secondary review and edits of written work produced by other attorneys as requested.TRAINING AND ADVISING :
Conduct training on matters within expertise, including the most complex nature.Confer with and advise the Minneapolis Police Department, other law enforcement partners, and other Minneapolis City departments on legal matters and concerns involving criminal law issues, including of the most complex nature.Assist and advise the criminal deputy and criminal managing attorneys with projects, policy, and legal research involving the most complex issues.Work Location : These positions may be eligible for flexible work arrangements, including hybrid work with some days working remotely and some days working in the office.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Represent the City in Transactional Legal Matters and Provide Legal Opinion, Advice, and Drafting :Conduct legal research, interpret, and apply Federal, State, and local law to provide advice, opinions, and consultative assistance to elected officials, enterprise leadership, and appointed boards and commissions on various City issues, including those of the most complex nature.
Advise on applying legal requirements to specific data and facts.Advise on the defensibility and risk of City policies and procedures.Make or facilitate legal determinations based on factual situations in the City.Represent the CAO position in meetings with department staff, enterprise leadership, and elected officials.Research, negotiate, and draft leases, deeds, liens on real property, lien releases, sales agreements, contracts, memoranda of understanding, and similar documents.Structure, negotiate, draft, and close the most complex financing and real estate transactions.Serve as members of various enterprise policymaking and policy-implementation teams (e.g., data breach response team).Lead / work on cross-departmental multi-disciplinary work groups and task forces to develop and implement policies.Staff subcommittee meetings of the City Council, from time to time meetings of the City Council, and meetings of appointed boards and commissions to provide legal advice on substantive questions and procedural matters in real-time.Serve as subject matter experts, assisting with litigation matters.Partner with and provide legal consultation on collaborations with internal and external stakeholders in support of the Mayor's and City Council's policy-making functions.Manage assigned client department expectations, setting priorities and mutually agreeable timelines.Recommend, research, and draft ordinances, resolutions, and other legislative documents.Prepare and conduct public presentations and provide training on various legal and compliance topics, including of the most complex nature, to other attorneys, city departments, elected officials, and outside partner agencies.Foster trusting relationships with elected officials, department heads, city staff, state and federal judges, partner agencies, other governmental subdivisions, and internal colleagues.Act as team lead for all projects assigned with ACAs / SACAs and coordinate the team's work product.Provide training to and mentor other attorneys.Secondary review and edit of written work produced by other attorneys.Represent the City in All Stages of Civil Litigation Matters :Analyze pleadings to determine legal issues, immunities, and liabilities.
Establish an efficient and effective research plan to determine a case's proper course of action.Conduct research using a caselaw database, such as Westlaw, to locate relevant controlling or persuasive cases that address specific legal issues presented in litigation.Apply case law to the facts in a persuasive briefing to the court with proper assertions of support cited accurately from case law.Respond within time-sensitive timelines to discovery requests with responses asserting appropriate defenses and seek requests to reinforce City defenses and minimize liability.Gather relevant documents and determine the witnesses' identities.Direct investigative staff to conduct any additional necessary investigation.Review and analyze evidence, including physical evidence, body-worn cameras, squad, transit, and surveillance footage, and jail and 911 tapes.Evaluate and secure expert witnesses.Review and analyze medical records, laboratory reports, and expert witness reports.Make appropriate recommendations to City staff, including the City Attorney, client departments, elected officials, and internal colleagues, to minimize legal exposure. This includes analysis and advice on whether to settle the matter and for how much, appeal an adverse decision or verdict, and consider the risks and benefits of continuing litigation.Attend and engage in negotiations at settlement conferences with council members and department administration.Deliver well-thought-out, persuasive oral arguments advancing the case's legal theories and strengths both internally (client departments, CAO colleagues, and elected officials) and externally (judge and jury).Respond to asserted claims of weaknesses in the case with well-reasoned counterarguments.Meet and communicate with the plaintiff's counsel regarding the status of the case and related issues.Prepare cases, including those of the most complex nature, for presentation in court by determining trial themes, identifying trial exhibits, drafting witness examinations, and thoroughly preparing City witnesses for direct and cross-examination.Communicate regularly with decision-making clients and city employees impacted by the litigation.Research, draft briefs, and present oral arguments for appeals at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.Manage an assigned caseload, coordinating court dates and other schedules with all concerned parties.Provide advice for responses to media inquiries.Assist in adjusting damage claims and claims arising under the Worker's Compensation Act.Foster trusting relationships with elected officials, department heads, city staff, state and federal judges, partner agencies, other governmental subdivisions, and internal colleagues.Act as team lead for all projects assigned with ACAs / SACAs and coordinate the team's work product.Provide training to and mentor other attorneys.Conduct training on matters within expertise, including the most complex nature.Secondary review and edit of written work produced by other attorneys.Represent the City and Advise on Criminal Law Matters :Prepare and try criminal misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases, including those most complex. This includes but is not limited to bail hearings, settlement negotiations, treatment courts, contested evidentiary hearings, jury and court trials, sentencing hearings, probation revocation hearings, and a wide variety of other categories of hearings under often stressful conditions requiring attorneys to think quickly on their feet.
Manage an assigned caseload, coordinating court dates and other schedules with judges, defense attorneys, defendants, and witnesses.Make independent determinations as to what constitutes fair and legal case outcomes, deciding whether to offer incarceration, restorative justice, or another disposition and structuring offers for case resolution.Work with crime victims to accurately assess their losses, obtain appropriate restitution awards, and vindicate their rights in court.Review and analyze evidence, including physical evidence, body-worn cameras, squad, transit, and surveillance footage, and jail and 911 tapes.Direct investigative and support staff as necessary to gather evidence and build a criminal case.Advise on applying legal requirements to specific data and facts.Conduct legal research and prepare legal opinions on criminal law issues, including those most complex. This includes using a caselaw database, such as Westlaw, to locate relevant controlling or persuasive cases concerning specific legal issues presented in litigation.Produced written briefs and memoranda on a wide variety of criminal law issues, including the most complex issues, at both the state district court, frequently under very tight deadlines, and appellate levels.Deliver well-thought-out, persuasive oral arguments advancing the case's legal theories and strengths to judges and juries.Develop the necessary expertise in various areas of criminal and constitutional law, including the most complex areas, and serve as subject matter experts assisting supervisors and other prosecutors on litigation matters.Recommend and draft changes to state statutes and city ordinances as requested or provide expert opinions on proposed legislative and rule changes.Confer with and advise Minneapolis Police Departments, other law enforcement partners, and other Minneapolis City departments on legal matters and concerns involving criminal law issues, including of the most complex nature.Develop and help implement community-based criminal justice and public safety initiatives, reforms, and grant programs.Recommend and assist the criminal deputy and criminal supervising attorneys with projects, policy, and legal research involving the most complex issues.Provide training to and mentor other attorneys.Act as team lead for all projects assigned with ACAs / SACAs and coordinate the team's work product.Exhibit critical thinking and problem-solving skills at the highest levels and without supervision.Prepare and conduct public presentations and provide training on criminal law and criminal procedure issues, including the most complex nature, to other attorneys, city departments, elected officials, and outside partner agencies.Foster relationships of trust with elected officials, department heads, city staff, state and federal judges, partner agencies, other governmental subdivisions, and internal colleagues.Research, draft briefs, and present oral arguments for appeals at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.Regularly review new case law and statutes that change how laws are interpreted or enforced and adapt to those changes in making legal decisions.Review police reports, video evidence, and other available evidence and independently apply the facts to applicable criminal statutes to make charging decisions.Lead / work on cross-departmental multi-disciplinary work groups and task forces to develop and implement policies.Serve on state and local boards and committees with judges and other stakeholders that establish rules, policies, and programs affecting the criminal justice system, sometimes with statewide impact.Provide advice for responses to media inquiries.Conduct training on matters within expertise, including the most complex nature.Secondary review and edit of written work produced by other attorneys.Working Conditions : Regular indoor office environment.
Required Qualifications
Minimum Education : The position has a minimum educational requirement of a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) plus Minnesota attorney licensure through the successful bar examination and current active bar membership.
Minimum Experience : This position requires a total of eight years or more years of experience as a licensed attorney, and service as a Senior Assistant City Attorney in the Minneapolis City Attorney's Office for at least two years.
Licenses / Certifications : State licensure and the ability to be licensed in federal court. Maintaining a state license requires a minimum of 45 credits of continuing legal education courses every three years.
Selection Process
The selection process will consist of review of relevant education, experience, and achievements as documented in the resume and cover letter; review of performance evaluations and manager feedback; and an interview. No specific weight will be assigned to the cover letter. All candidates who satisfy the eligibility criteria and minimum qualifications and submit a resume and cover letter will have a passing score and be placed on the eligible list. The City of Minneapolis Human Resources Department reserves the right to limit the number in any phase of the selection process.
Background Check
The City has determined that a criminal background check and / or qualifications check may be necessary for certain positions with this job title. Applicants may be required to sign an informed consent form allowing the City to obtain their criminal history and / or verify their qualifications in connection with the position sought. Applicants who do not sign the informed consent form will not be further considered for the position.
Union Representation
This position is represented by a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Minneapolis and the AFSCME Attorneys. For more information on the terms and conditions of this agreement please visit : AFSCME Attorneys - City of Minneapolis
Eligible List Statement
The names of applicants who satisfy the eligibility criteria and minimum qualifications and submit a resume and written submission shall be placed on the eligible list for consideration. This list will be certified to the hiring manager who may use the list to fill a vacancy of the same job title. This eligible list will expire one month after it has been established.
Interview Selection
The hiring authority reserves the right to determine the maximum number of candidates to interview from the established eligible list. If the hiring authority decides to interview other than by exam score order, they may select additional people to interview based on a candidate's education or experience related to the field, work history, or skills uniquely related to the operational needs of the position.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
1. Highly advanced legal knowledge and technical skills
2. Work ethic, drive, diligence
3. Problem-solving, decision making of the highest complexity with virtually no supervision
4. Communication skills
5. Teamwork / collaboration skills
6. Contributions to CAO, the enterprise, legal systems
7. Commitment to Equity
8. Consistent demonstration of leadership
9. Takes initiative to identify and solve issues and make or recommend improvements without waiting to be assigned.
10. Strong legal research skills
11. Strong organizational, project management, and prioritization skills
12. Excellent communication skills
13. Capacity to handle the most complex projects and make the highest quality decisions
As the largest and most vibrant city in the state, Minneapolis depends on purposeful, dedicated and innovative employees. Minneapolis has a large variety of careers for people of all experiences and backgrounds who come together for a singular purpose-serving the residents, businesses and visitors of Minneapolis.
The City of Minneapolis is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.
