Counseling Attorney

The Office of Corporation Counsel (OCC) provides legal services to the City and County through its three main divisions. First, OCC represents the City, County agencies, and City-County employees in litigation, handling a diverse docket that ranges from tort and contract matters to constitutional law. Second, through its counseling division, OCC provides legal advice to City and County agencies, officials, and oversight bodies to ensure that public entities remain compliant with the law and standards of ethical conduct, to safeguard public funds, and to promote the efficient functioning of local government for Marion County taxpayers.

OCC’s third division is the Office of the City Prosecutor, which is responsible for enforcing City-County ordinances. OCC also oversees the Office of Equal Opportunity, which administers the City’s human rights ordinance, protecting against discrimination in employment and other contexts. In exercising these crucial legal functions, OCC cultivates a productive, collaborative, and compliant work environment that prioritizes the needs of our clients and the residents of Indianapolis and Marion County.

The holder of this position will be a front-line attorney with immediate responsibility for handling a wide range of general legal matters on behalf of City-County agencies. The position holder will serve as an assistant corporation counsel within the City’s Office of Corporation Counsel.

All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We value diversity in perspectives and experiences among colleagues and the residents of this city of whom we serve.

The primary responsibility of a Counseling Attorney is to represent and advise the City-County and related agencies in general legal matters. The City-County is involved in a diverse array of matters requiring sound legal advice and guidance, including in the areas of contracts, real estate, employment,landuse,tax,environmental law,public safety,legaldraftingandadministrativeand regulatory matters.

This position will provide immediate experience in all facets of client service and representation. This role representing our public agency clients includes preparing and reviewing contracts, leases, and other transactional documents; representing City-County clients at Board and Commission meetings; researching and answering general legal questions and providing advisory opinions; and drafting ordinances, reviewing legislation and handling other legislative matters. Front-line attorneys benefit from the assistance of more experienced Counseling attorneys and supervisors in many cases, but should expect to have immediate responsibility for handling a diverse and challenging workload.

The Counselingattorneypositionalsoinvolvesthefollowingadditionalresponsibilities:

• Keeping clients,includingsenioragencystaffandelectedofficials,fullyinformedonmatters affecting their agencies.
• Advisingclientsandcolleaguesinthe Officeof Corporation Counseloncompliancewithlaw  and the avoidance of future litigation risk.
• Preparingadvisoryopinionsandmemosongenerallegalmatters,attherequestofthe Corporation Counsel or client agencies.
• Representing City-Countyagenciesin Boardor Commissionmeetingsorsimilarsettings .
• Inconjunctionwiththe Litigation section,providingadvicetoclientagenciesonlitigation strategy and settlement negotiations.
• Keepingapprisedofrelevantlegaldevelopmentsatthestateandfederallevel.
• Performing other duties as assigned by the Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, or the Corporation Counsel.

Strongindependentjudgment
. Guidance from more senior attorneys will be available, but successful Counseling attorneys must have the good judgment to take responsibility for what they can handle themselves, and seek assistance when doing so is in the client’s best interests.

Analytical ability and intellectual curiosity. This position faces a wide variety of legal issues and fact patterns. While Counseling attorneys are encouraged to develop areas of expertise over time, the position requires rapidly digesting new information,…