Deputy Attorney

Position: Deputy City Attorney
Salary : $97,325.28 - $ Annually
Location : City of Merced, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 1283
Department: City Attorney
Opening Date: 01/29/2025
Closing Date: Continuous

Description

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
Under general direction, to perform professional legal work and legal research; to represent the City and City Attorney's Office on legal assignments; and to do related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is the entry and training position in the professional Deputy City Attorney class series. Incumbents are expected to perform professional legal work and research with guidance and supervision from more experienced staff. This class differs from the Senior Deputy City Attorney in that the Senior Deputy City Attorney is the experienced working level with incumbents performing a broader range of legal work under less supervision.

Deputy City Attorney incumbents will be expected to increasingly perform more complex work with less guidance. In addition, Deputy City Attorney incumbents will develop special expertise in specific areas of municipal law. It is anticipated that Deputy City Attorney incumbents will devote significant, non-work hours to learning the essentials of municipal law to prepare them for advancement in the profession.

REPORTS TO
City Attorney, Chief Deputy City Attorney, or designee.

CLASSIFICATIONS SUPERVISED
This is not a supervisory class.
Examples of Duties

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

Performs professional legal assignments and research; receives and reviews legal cases and potential litigation, examining evidence, interviewing witnesses, and performing requisite investigations to determine the proper course of City legal action.

Authorizes and drafts appropriate legal documents to support legal cases; prepares and conducts trial work, as necessary.

Appears in court, preparing and presenting cases at preliminary hearings, trials, and legal administrative hearings; analyzes the facts of cases and legal precedents for motions, stipulations, or waivers; confers with judges and/or opposition attorneys regarding modifications to cases; and negotiates case settlements.

Provides briefings and oral arguments; anticipates and prepares for legal reasoning of opposition attorneys; drafts jury instructions; presents opening statements; interrogates and cross examines witnesses; and argues points of law; presents final arguments and summations.

Reviews court records, analyzes evidence, and prepares appellate briefs.

Works with other agencies on cases; may prepare legal opinions for other City staff.

May serve as legal advisor for assigned City departments, boards, or commissions.

Performs related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS
The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:
Principles of criminal, Constitutional, civil, and administrative law.
California codes and statutes applicable to criminal and civil law.
Judicial procedures and the rules of evidence in the conduct of hearings in court and before administrative bodies.
Legal research methods.
Interviewing techniques.
Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

Ability to:
Perform professional legal and legal research work.
Analyze facts and apply legal precedents and principles to assigned cases.
Prepare and present cases at all levels of the court system.
Prepare and present a variety of special reports.
Operate a computer and use appropriate software in the performance of professional legal work.
Effectively…