AT-WILL OPPORTUNITY
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
TENTATIVE INTERVIEW DATE: TBD
The City Attorney's Office is seeking a well-qualified individual to fill the Deputy City Attorney IV - Advisory position, experience in with employment law is desirable.
Deputy City Attorneys work a City of Stockton 9/80 schedule: 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Mondays through Thursdays; 8:00 am to 5:00 Fridays, with alternating Fridays off. May be required to work additional hours and/or weekends to provide critical support to key initiatives.
This position is an At-Will (unclassified/unrepresented) position. Incumbents in this position are excluded from the Civil Service system and unrepresented. Only those applicants who best fit the needs of the City will be referred to the hiring department. Applicants who fail to fully complete the online application/supplemental questionnaire are subject to rejection.
Prior to appointment, eligible candidates will be required to submit to and successfully pass a background investigation, which will include fingerprinting.
Under direction, performs legal work related to municipal government operations; to conduct legal research, prepare opinions, memoranda, administrative rules, regulations, and other documents; to advise city departments, boards, committees, and commissions; to prosecute misdemeanor and/or infraction criminal violations of the Municipal Code and/or other codes adopted by the City; to represent the City in a variety of litigation; and performs related work as assigned.
This is a multi-level, at-will class where incumbents perform the full range of duties and may be assigned to Litigation or act as an Advisory. Both perform work related to any of a number of civil areas, some criminal prosecution, and legal services for one or more City departments and their associated elected or appointed boards, committees, and commissions. While expertise may be gained in a specialized area, incumbents may direct or assist with legal matters in any area of municipal law. Employees at this level receive occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit.
The Deputy City Attorney (“DCA”) class series is distinguished from Assistant City Attorney in that the latter is the full supervisory class with responsibility for a major area of the City’s legal matters and may act as the City Attorney on a relief basis.
DCA IV is the senior level and is distinguished from DCA I – III by the level of responsibility assumed, complexity of duties assigned, independence of action taken, by the amount of time spent performing the duties, and by the nature of the public contact made.
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Both Assignments
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Must become familiar with City operations to identify and address legal issues in a proactive manner, and continually manage and adjust workload to accommodate changing needs and priorities of City staff.
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Represents the City with dignity, integrity, and the spirit of cooperation in all relations with staff and the public.
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Fosters an environment that embraces integrity, service, inclusion and collaboration.
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Builds and maintains positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
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Performs related duties as assigned.
Litigator
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Represents the City, and its officers and employees in their official capacities, in court cases encompassing a wide variety of civil and criminal subject matters, including personal injury; property damage; dangerous conditions; police and other 1983 matters; motor vehicle accidents; constitutional claims; inverse condemnation; employment lawsuits; challenges to City ordinances, resolutions, and policies; and cases challenging City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Brown Act, California Public Records Act, and other laws.
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Handles court appearances, including dispositive motion hearings, settlement conferences, and mediations in complex cases.
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Investigates claims and complaints by or against the City; gives advice on action to be taken and prepares cases for hearings and represents the City in such hearings.
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Represents the City in administrative hearings before City Boards, Committees, and Commissions as well as Federal and State Agencies.
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Initiates Code Enforcement proceedings as necessary and prepares all required documents; prepares cases for condemnation proceedings.
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Performs all discovery tasks, including fact and expert discovery; strategically develops and implements comprehensive discovery plans in complex cases.
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Directs and effectively manages heavy caseload of complex civil litigation files from inception to disposition.
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Identifies necessary deposition witnesses; takes and defends percipient witness, party, and expert depositions.
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Presents recommendations to the City Council in Closed Session.
Advisor
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Monitors legal developments, including proposed legislation and court decisions; evaluates their impact on existing litigation and/or City operations and recommends appropriate action.
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Performs complex legal research and prepares opinions on various legal problems for the City Council, and the City’s boards, committees, commissions, departments, and city staff.
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May act as a liaison with outside counsel.
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Prepares and offers advice/opinions on ordinances, resolutions, contracts, leases, and other legal documents; confers with and assists City departments by analyzing and applying legal points and procedures and makes necessary recommendations regarding existing policies and procedures in order to meet legal requirements.
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Applies legal knowledge to varied problems.
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Reviews and approves contracts.
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Presents or supports client on items at Council and Committees or other public hearings.
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Researches and prepares oral and written memoranda, opinions and reports; recognizes when issues require alternative analysis and approaches.
Knowledge of:
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Municipal, State, Federal, and Constitutional laws affecting city government;
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Principles, methods, and techniques of legal research and investigation;
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Court and Administrative Agency procedures, including pleading requirements, rules of court, presentation techniques, and evidentiary rules;
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Municipal government organization, structure, and functional responsibilities;
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Ethical and other Rules of Professional Conduct that regulate the practice of law;
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Principles and practices of contract administration;
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Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment including relevant technology and software programs;
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Oral and written communication skills; business English including vocabulary, spelling, and correct grammatical usage and punctuation;
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Safe work practices; and
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Principles and practices of excellent customer service.
Skill in:
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Defining issues, performing legal research, analyzing problems, evaluating alternatives, and making sound recommendations;
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Presenting statements of fact, law, and argument clearly and logically;
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Utilizing effective techniques in the presentation of court cases;
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Exercising sound, independent judgment within general policy guidelines and legal parameters;
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Utilizing in a proficient manner, available computer equipment and software, and other law office technology to format prepare, and process documents in a reasonably efficient manner;
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Interpreting state and federal laws and constitutional provisions affecting municipal operations;
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Understanding and carrying out oral and written instructions and prioritize workload to meet deadlines;
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Reading, writing and comprehending the English language at a level necessary for effective job performance exercising correct English usage, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and punctuation;
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Communicating effectively, tactfully and positively in both oral and written form;
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Operating and using modern office equipment and technology, including computers and applicable software;
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Utilizing appropriate safety procedures and practices for assigned duties;
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Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; and
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Contributing effectively to the accomplishments of City goals, objectives and activities.
Education/Experience:
All Levels - Possession of a Juris Doctorate from an accredited college or university.
DCA-IV: Three years of professional legal experience comparable to a Deputy City Attorney with the City of Stockton.
Other Requirements for All Levels:
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Must possess a valid California driver’s license.
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Be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California and if selected for the position, must promptly apply for admission to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, if not already admitted to that court.
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Ability to travel to locations outside the office for legal proceedings or meetings.
Physical/Mental Abilities:
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Mobility – Constant sitting for long periods of time while operating a keyboard; frequent walking, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing and pulling;
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Lifting – Constant lifting and frequent carrying of 10 pounds or less;
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Vision – Constant use of overall visual capabilities; frequent need for use of color perception, hand/eye coordination, reading and/or close up work;
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Dexterity – Constant holding, grasping, typing, repetitive motion and writing;
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Hearing/Talking - Frequent hearing and talking of normal speech in person and on the telephone; Frequent speaking in front of large groups of people;
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Special Requirements – May require weekend or evening work and frequent driving an automobile;
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Emotional/Psychological – Constant concentration, decision making and public contact; occasional ability to exercise sound judgment, especially under stressful situations; and working alone;
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Environmental Conditions – Occasional exposure to noise and indoor cold and heat conditions; and
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Working Conditions – Primarily performed in an office environment which is typically quiet but may be loud at times and at some locations.
This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirement of this job. Incumbents may be requested to perform job related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification. Any essential function or requirement of this class will be evaluated as necessary should an incumbent/applicant be unable to perform the function or requirement due to a disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodation for the specific disability will be made for the incumbent/applicant when possible.
The Process:
Only those applicants who best fit the needs of the City will be considered for this career opportunity. Applications, resumes, cover letters, and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed and only the most qualified applicants will be referred to the City Attorney's Office.
A resume, cover letter, and evidence of Bachelor's Degree (unofficial transcripts/grade report/copy of diploma) are required as part of the application process and must be submitted by the final filing date.
ALL APPLICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS MUST BE COMPLETED FULLY AND SUBMITTED ON AN OFFICIAL ONLINE CITY OF STOCKTON APPLICATION. (DO NOT STATE "REFER TO RESUME" ON YOUR APPLICATION OR SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE.) INCOMPLETE AND/OR FALSIFIED APPLICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTALS WILL BE REJECTED AND CANNOT BE REVISED AFTER SUBMITTAL ON OR BEFORE THE FINAL FILING DATE. POSTMARKS, FACSIMILES, AND PHOTOCOPIES OF THE CITY'S EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. RESUMES ARE WELCOMED BUT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ONLY.
The information in this announcement concerning the terms and conditions of employment does not constitute either an express or implied contract, and these provisions are subject to change.
NOTE:
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After on-line submittal, immediate notification will appear on your screen indicating your application has been received. Please print this notice as proof of filing.
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Notification and correspondence will be sent via email only. No paper notices will be mailed to applicants. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure a correct email address is provided and that correspondence is being received.
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NeoGov.com: You will receive correspondence via the e-mail address you placed on your application. Some e-mail accounts have been known to place these e-mails in the spam/junk file. Please check your e-mail folders or accept e-mails ending with neogov.com.
In accordance with California Government Code section 3100, et., seq., all City of Stockton employees are considered disaster service workers who may be required to report for duty, or remain on duty to address disaster service activities in the event of an emergency or disaster and are required to undertake an applicable loyalty oath.
This position is Exempt from Fair Labor and Standards Act (FLSA), does not qualify for overtime compensation, and is subject to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) annual filing requirements. For more information,visit www.fppc.ca.gov.
