Assistant City Attorney

Essential Job Functions

• Provides legal support and advice to City staff, elected officials, and various boards and commissions.
• Recognizes, assesses, and analyzes potential liability and complex legal issues and keeps the City Attorney and City staff informed of the same.
• Researches legal issues and prepares legal opinions, memoranda, and correspondence.
• Prepares, drafts, and develops ordinances, resolutions, contracts, leases, easements, deeds, economic development incentive agreements, and other complex legal documents.
• Participates in a variety of meetings to provide legal advice, receive and convey information, and ensure Open Meetings Act compliance.
• Provides representation in general civil litigation and dispute resolution; prepares pleadings, briefs, motions, and other documents as required; assists with outside law firms and attorneys representing the City in litigation and other matters.
• Analyzes court rulings and legislation with regard to their effect on municipal government operations.
• Advises and supports City staff in responding to public inquiries, citizen complaints, and requests for information.
• Provides training to city staff and officials on municipal law issues.
• Performs related duties as assigned.
• Responds regularly and promptly to work.

• Doctor of Jurisprudence from an accredited law school.
• Must possess five (5) years of practice as an attorney, and at least two (2) years of experience in municipal law or as an attorney in a Texas law firm with a significant public sector client base that includes municipal corporations. Public law experience may be substituted for municipal law experience.

• Experience in real estate, contract review, land use, and economic development.
• Experience in employment law, to include State Civil Service Chapter 143.

Knowledge of:

• Legal principles of general municipal law, and the Texas Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act.
• Municipal government organization and structure, including the powers and limitations of home rule cities.
• Principles, methods, materials, practices and references utilized in legal research.
• Principles and procedures of civil law including rules of evidence and judicial and administrative procedures.
• State and federal laws and constitutional provisions affecting municipal operations.

Ability to:

• Work independently and maintain a professional demeanor.
• Handle multiple tasks, prioritize and organize work assignments, and meet established deadlines.
• Perform legal review and research; assimilate and analyze various complex facts, issues and problems; determine alternative courses of legal action; and render a legal opinion and recommendation.
• Devise and draft effective legislation and other legal documents that support the policies of the Mayor and Council.
• Prepare and present oral and/or written explanation and defend legal opinions and decisions both in judicial as well as administrative settings, to include comprehensive explanation of legal concepts, positions, and/or policies.
• Represent the city and effectively apply legal knowledge and principles in a variety of judicial and administrative proceedings.
• Present cases before judicial bodies and provide well‑researched briefs and opinions to City officials and staff and a variety of interest groups within the community.
• Exercise considerable initiative, sound judgment, and collaborative skills.
• Maintain a high degree of organization, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Use spreadsheet and word processing applications (Microsoft Word/PowerPoint/Excel/Outlook) to prepare clear and concise correspondence, memos, contracts, presentations, and other written materials.
• Perform a variety of clerical/administrative tasks, such as responding to phone calls, data entry, and maintaining records/files.
• Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information, records, or issues.
• Attend meetings and perform work assignments at times other than normal business hours.
• Demonstrate satisfactory performance and attendance.
• Comply with City and departmental policies and procedures.
• Provide management with sound, positive advice, and information concerning the area of responsibility.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of City staff, City Council and citizens.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate with tact and diplomacy.
• Strong public contact and customer service skills.
• Strong planning,…