Deputy Attorney III - Labor & Employment

Deputy City Attorney III - Labor & Employment

The Oakland City Attorney’s Office is seeking a Deputy City Attorney III specializing in Labor & Employment. This role supports a dynamic, mission‑driven legal team that advises the Mayor, City Council, and all City departments.

The position focuses on a broad range of labor and employment matters, including workplace investigations, employee discipline, collective bargaining support, administrative hearings, and drafting legal opinions, legislation, and agreements. It’s a great fit for attorneys with strong experience in labor law, public sector employment, police personnel issues, or workplace investigations.

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Advising on administrative investigations of misconduct as well as the discipline process, including throughout the pendency of the grievance process.
• Advising on the investigation and resolution of labor and employment or personnel-related claims and complaints against the City or City management, including allegations involving harassment and discrimination, and recommending actions to be taken.
• Advising clients, including the City Administrator, Employee Relations Director, Human Resources Director, Chief of Police and Office of the Inspector General, on personnel matters to help them comply with laws and policies and to help them identify various risks and manage them accordingly.
• Representing the City in administrative proceedings, including labor arbitration hearings, Civil Service Board hearings, and hearings before the Public Employee Relations Board.
• Advising the City Administrator, Employee Relations Director and other designated labor negotiators in preparation for and during labor‑contract bargaining and other labor negotiations.
• Developing training materials and providing training to staff, managers and officials on relevant legal issues.
• Performing legal research; interpreting and applying laws and court decisions; preparing opinions for departments, programs, boards, commissions and officials.
• Preparing, reviewing and revising ordinances, resolutions, employment contracts, MOU's, settlements and other legal documents; revising such documents as necessary to meet legal standards.

• For DCA III position:
  Four years of increasingly responsible work experience in one or more relevant areas of law.
• Experience in labor and employment law matters; conducting and/or advising on workplace or misconduct investigations; police accountability or civilian oversight; employee due‑process; or collective bargaining and labor‑dispute resolution.
• Excellent verbal communication skills as well as writing and oral presentation skills.

• Law school graduate.

• A member in good standing of the California State Bar.
• Working knowledge of municipal, state and federal laws affecting City governance, particularly laws related to open meetings and public records.
• Language skills, especially in Spanish, Cantonese and/or Mandarin.

• Interpret and apply various government codes and ordinances.
• Conduct research on legal problems and prepare sound legal opinions.
• Analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents.
• Handle stressful and sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Provide professional leadership, guidance and technical expertise to assigned staff.
• Work independently or as part of a team.
• Form or work with a multidisciplinary team.
• Manage multiple demanding programs, cases and projects with competing deadlines.
• Communicate effectively in both oral and written form with City officials, representatives of outside agencies and the public, including working with law enforcement and civilian oversight investigators.
• Complete varied assignments within a narrow time frame.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and other contacts in the course of work.
• Inspire confidence and respect for legal advice.
• Skillfully and professionally present legal advice to clients, including the elected and high‑level appointed officials.