Assistant City Attorney

City of Lakewood; United States; On-site; USD 131,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

City pension plan

Job summary

City of Lakewood seeks an Assistant City Attorney to provide legal support across City departments under the City Attorney and senior staff. The role covers municipal real estate, technology, law enforcement, economic development, HR, contracts, and governance, requiring solid research, drafting, and courtroom skills while upholding ethics and professionalism.

The position emphasizes advising, drafting memoranda and legal opinions, attending meetings after 5 PM, and representing the City in

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law.
• Two+ years in active legal practice required; local government experience preferred.
• Ability to provide clear legal opinions and counsel to City departments.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice to assigned organizational clients under supervision of City Attorney.
• Draft memoranda, ordinances, contracts, and other legal documents.
• Represent the City in court and at administrative hearings as needed.
• Conduct legal research in municipal, civil, and constitutional law.
• Monitor laws impacting City operations and brief officials as directed.

Skills

Municipal law

Legal research

Court appearances

Education

Juris Doctorate

Colorado Bar License

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

City Values and Hiring Range

The City of Lakewood is dedicated to upholding City values to include: Performance Excellence, Leadership, Respect and Collaboration. Best fit candidates will demonstrate innovation, customer service, dedication, passion and engagement. All people, citizens and employees, will be treated with respect, relevance, and importance.

HIRING RANGE: $130,927.23 - $145,474.70/year

The Assistant City Attorney provides legal support to various departments throughout the City under the supervision of the City Attorney and Senior staff of the City Attorney’s Office. This position is expected to conduct legal research on specialized areas of municipal law including, but not limited to: real estate, technology, law enforcement, economic development, human resources, contracts, governmental liability, open meetings, open records, and code interpretation. Additionally, an Assistant City Attorney will draft memoranda and legal opinions and provide legal counsel to assigned organizational clients. The Assistant City Attorney is expected to exercise sound legal judgment, uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics, and provide clear, practical legal guidance in a local government setting.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job and other projects and responsibilities may be added at the City’s discretion.
• Employees must be able to perform the essential duties of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Provides legal advice and counsel to assigned organizational clients under the direction of Senior legal staff.
• Attends staff meetings of Client Departments as needed.
• Prepares, reviews and/or approves documents including, but not limited to: ordinances, legislative bills, resolutions, memoranda, contracts, staff reports, regulations, procedures, and action reports.
• Negotiates and drafts documents for real estate transactions to include: offers, counteroffers, deeds, and property acquisition agreements for parcels and easements under the direction, and with support of, Senior legal staff.
• Negotiates, drafts and/or reviews documents including, but not limited to: contracts, grants, intergovernmental agreements, personnel policies, and administrative polices.
• Assists with enforcement of all applicable codes, including drafting non-compliance letters, and representing the City at administrative hearings and in civil matters as assigned.
• Supports City employees who are subpoenaed to testify in Federal, State or local court.
• Represents the City in Federal, State and local litigation, as primary or secondary counsel in all civil and administrative matters as assigned, including preparation of memoranda, motions, briefs, and pleadings to be filed.
• Monitors legislative action potentially impacting the City, and provide written and verbal updates to elected officials, appointed officials and staff as directed by the City Attorney.
• Identifies potential and actual legal issues raised by City laws, regulations, policies/practices and recommend actions to address such issues.
• Attends meetings of the City Council and other City Boards, Commissions, and Committees as required. These meetings occur after 5:00 p.m.
• Presents to City Council on legal implications of proposed policies.
• Provides special project support at the direction of the City Attorney/Senior legal staff, which may require conducting legal research and drafting legal opinions for the City Council, City Boards and Commissions, Committees, and City staff, or presenting to the City Council.
• Provides legal guidance to City staff in responding to requests under the Colorado Open Records Act and Open Meetings Law.

Employee Type

An Individual Contributor is responsible for their own tasks and deliverables and does not formally oversee the work of others. They may offer expertise or informal guidance but do not have supervisory or employment‑decision authority. Their primary focus is performing operational, technical, or professional work within their role.

Reporting Relationships

• Supervision Received: City Attorney
• Supervision Exercised: None

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of laws, regulations, and statutory obligations for Colorado municipalities.
• Knowledge of the principles and procedures of municipal, civil, business law, and constitutional law.
• Knowledge of the principal methods, materials, and practices of legal research and investigation.
• Knowledge of judicial procedure and Colorado and federal rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of local ordinances, state and federal laws, and constitutional provisions affecting municipal operations.
• Ability to work in a confidential manner with, and on behalf of, the City Attorney, and all agents or employees of the City as directed.
• Ability to skillfully represent the City in court at the Federal, State and local level, or in an administrative hearing, including employment related matters.
• Ability to write persuasively in both legal and non-legal formats.
• Ability to monitor developments in the law for potential impact upon functions of municipal government and advise accordingly.
• Ability to monitor developments in the law for potential impact upon functions of municipal government and advise accordingly.
• Technological Skills Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of standard office equipment including copiers, computers, printers and tape recorders.
• Ability to learn new software systems and applications.

Technological Skills

Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite. Knowledge of standard office equipment including copiers, computers, printers and tape recorders. Ability to learn new software systems and applications.

Education and Experience (Must represent the minimum required for this position)

• Education: Graduation with a Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law
• Experience: Minimum Qualifications: At least two (2) years in the active practice of law. Demonstrated proficiency in the courtroom.
• Desired Qualifications: Two (2) or more years of practice in local government law. Demonstrated proficiency in both bench and jury trials.
• Certification/Licenses/Specialized Training: License to practice law in the State of Colorado.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Must successfully complete and maintain required state or departmental physical standards and certifications.

LIGHT WORK

• Exerting up to 30 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Physical Demands

• Bend or position self to move items from higher place to lower place or vice versa
• Sit, stand or be stationary
• Talk, hear, converse, communicate, or exchange information
• Stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, balance, turn or twist, all of which may include awkward positions on both even and uneven terrain
• Use of hands and/or fingers in a repetitive motion to handle, pinch, grasp, move, feel, and inspect, etc.
• Walk, ascend, descend on both even and uneven terrain
• Vision to include distance, depth perception, peripheral and color
• Environmental Conditions may include Office settings

Safety and PPE

The City of Lakewood is a drug‑free workplace that provides employment opportunities in compliance with all pertinent federal, state, and local laws. All Lakewood employees are expected to work and complete all tasks in a safe manner consistent with training, standard operating procedures, City or Department policies, and common sense. Working in a safe manner includes the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and complying with a safety rules. Horseplay on‑the‑job is strictly forbidden. The failure to work in a safe manner, use PPE, follow standard operating procedure, or comply with a safety rule will result adverse employment consequences ranging from verbal discipline to termination from employment, including any applicable reduction in benefits under the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act. Employees are also expected to encourage safe work practices by all co‑employees, and to report any unsafe work practices immediately to a supervisor.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The City of Lakewood celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion in all areas of our workforce. Accordingly, the city is committed to creating, nurturing and sustaining a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our community and employees.

Pay Range $111,858.95-$145,474.70

Background and reference checks will be conducted for all regular and some variable/seasonal positions.

Benefits and Compensation

• Medical Cigna HDHP with Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Kaiser Permanente DHMO with Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Dental Delta Dental PPO plus Premier Plan
• Vision Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Life Insurance Employees are covered for 1.5 times their annual base salary in life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment, up to a maximum of $500,000 (the minimum benefit is $50,000). The city pays the cost of this coverage.
• Pension Our pension fund is a social security replacement, money purchase plan. Mandatory employee contribution is 11% of gross base salary; city contribution is 13% of gross base salary.
• Sick Leave Full-time employees earn 8 hours per month. Part‑time employees earn 6 hours per month.
• Vacation Full-time employees with less than five years of service earn 8 hours per month. Part‑time employees with less than five years of service earn 6 hours per month.
• City Holidays Holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
• Additional Benefits the City Offers: Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Deferred Compensation Voluntary Life Insurance Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Short Term Disability Long Term Disability (LTD) Injury Leave Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Military Leave Jury Duty Tuition Assistance Credit Union Recreation Facilities Employees are eligible for free general admission into the city’s recreation centers, swimming pools and Bear Creek Lake Park. Wellness Programs Value-Added Benefits