Assistant City Attorney III - Litigation

City of Grand Rapids • City Hall 300 Monroe Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI

6d

About The Position

The purpose of this job is to provide advanced professional legal services on issues and projects of importance to the City. Depending on assigned area(s), this job may involve litigation, municipal affairs, and/or ordinance enforcement. Position will have increased autonomy, depth of knowledge, and gaining of special areas of expertise from that of Assistant City Attorney II. Position will also provide support and guidance to Assistant City Attorneys I and II in everyday duties and responsibilities. The Department of Law is divided into three Divisions representing three primary areas of service to the City: Municipal Affairs, Civil Litigation, and Ordinance Enforcement. Although attorneys may be assigned work in more than one service area, not all attorneys will perform all of these duties. THIS POSITION IS IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION: Acts as trial and appellate counsel handling litigation duties for matters of routine to moderate complexity on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court, and before state and local administrative and judicial bodies Investigates and processes personal injury and property claims through the City’s internal administrative process Answers complex tax petitions and manages litigation through pleadings, hearings, and motions, and processes tax exemption requests and disputes involving payments in lieu of taxes Manages and assists outside counsel in prosecuting and defending lawsuits on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate
• At least six (6) years of experience as a licensed attorney
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan, or licensed in another state, with the ability to become licensed within a reasonable time
• Knowledge of: Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment
• Knowledge of: Legal terminology and court rules and procedures
• Knowledge of: Principles and practices of basic bookkeeping
• Knowledge of: Principles, methods, materials and practices of legal research, including use of electronic research methods
• Knowledge of: Various State and Federal law, common law and State and Federal regulations
• Knowledge of: Applicable court procedure and rules of evidence
• Knowledge of: Local government structure and operation, city policies and procedures, and the City's relationships to other public jurisdictions
• Skill in: Interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships with executive, elected, and other high-level officials
• Skill in: Performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature
• Skill in: Performing basic mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and ratios
• Skill in: Preparing and presenting complex legal matters
• Skill in: Verbal and written communication
• Skill in: Investigation and research
• Skill in: Negotiation and dispute resolution
• Skill in: Risk assessment and management
• Skill in: Development of organization-wide strategic planning and policy
• Ability to: Meet schedules and deadlines of the work
• Ability to: Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Ability to: Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files
• Ability to: Maintain the confidentiality of information and professional boundaries
• Ability to: Identify, preserve, collate and analyze legal, complex or voluminous documents
• Ability to: Understand complex legal issues and identify areas for investigation
• Ability to: Conduct research on complex problems and prepare opinions

Responsibilities

• Acts as trial and appellate counsel handling litigation duties for matters of routine to moderate complexity on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court, and before state and local administrative and judicial bodies
• Investigates and processes personal injury and property claims through the City’s internal administrative process
• Answers complex tax petitions and manages litigation through pleadings, hearings, and motions, and processes tax exemption requests and disputes involving payments in lieu of taxes
• Manages and assists outside counsel in prosecuting and defending lawsuits on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior