Deputy City Attorney (Civil Advisory Division, Public Services Unit)

San Diego City Attorney's Office•San Diego, CA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The San Diego City Attorney's Office protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego’s elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City’s prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, by holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 190 lawyers and approximately 230 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego. The Civil Advisory Division of the San Diego City Attorney’s Office is recruiting to fill a Deputy City Attorney position in the Public Services Unit. This position reports directly to Chief Deputy City Attorney Steven Lastomirsky. The Public Services Unit advises the Parks and Recreation Department, Purchasing and Contracting Department, Library, Office of Child and Youth Success, Performance and Analytics Department, Fleet Division, Department of Information Technology, and advises the City on Maintenance Assessment Districts and Business Improvement Districts. This Unit provides legal advice in areas such as City policies, procedures and administrative regulations, permitting for the use of parks and recreation centers, competitive bidding, contract claims, debarment, living wages, equal opportunity contracting, intellectual property, grants, and constitutional laws. Deputy City Attorneys in this Unit routinely draft contracts, resolutions, and ordinances, and prepare legal correspondence, memoranda, and opinions, and appear at City Council Committee and City Council meetings. The selected deputy will be assigned to primarily advise on issues of statutory and constitutional law, regulatory compliance, Municipal Code amendments, public records requests, contracting and procurement, grant funding, and assisting the Parks and Recreation Department staff with drafting Special Use Permits and Right of Entry Permits, and other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Active member in good standing with the State Bar of California
Minimum three years of municipal law or other public law experience
Possess strong analytical, research, writing, and oral presentation skills
Be a practical problem-solver and team player
Have good time management skills
Demonstrate effective communication and conflict resolution skills
Ability to travel to locations outside the office for legal proceedings or meetings
Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and personal vehicle, or the ability to travel to various locations throughout the City in a timely manner

Nice To Haves

Legal experience and the knowledge or skills described below
Experience working in team and self-paced settings with ability to manage and prioritize a heavy workload
Experience working on Special Use Permits and Right of Entry Permits
Experience with Administrative Hearings
Competitive bidding and other City procurement requirements
Grant applications, acceptance and compliance
Experience advising municipal governments or state government entities on parks and recreation related legal issues
Familiarity with the California Public Records Act

Responsibilities

Draft contracts, resolutions, and ordinances
Review department policies, procedures, Council Policies, and City administrative regulations
Conduct legal research and analysis
Prepare legal correspondence, memoranda, and opinions
Work closely with City staff on programs and specific projects
Advise on responses to California Public Records Act requests
Work with litigation counsel on certain matters
Appear and address legal questions at City Council Committee and City Council meetings, and may appear at board and commission hearings and administrative hearings
Become familiar with City operations to identify and address legal issues in a proactive manner
Continually manage and adjust workload to accommodate changing needs and priorities of City staff
Work closely with City staff and City management

Benefits

Participation in the City's Flexible Benefits Plan, which offers several optional benefit plans or a taxable cash option
$50,000 in City-paid life insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Paid annual leave (paid time off) accruing at 22 days per year for the 1st through 15th year of service
San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System (SDCERS) defined benefit (pension) plan
Voluntary Defined Contribution Plans (401(k)/457(b))
Retiree Medical Trust Plan
Holidays – Eleven paid holidays are provided annually and one Floating Holiday in a fiscal year
Long-Term Disability Income Plan
Free MTS transit pass
City-awarded discretionary leave (paid time off)
Up to 8 weeks of paid Parental Leave
Paid time off for jury duty
Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave each fiscal year
Employee Assistance Program