Assistant City Attorney, Employment | Civil Division

Seattle City Attorney's Office; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle City Attorney's Office seeks an attorney with experience in employment law and litigation to join the Employment Section. The role supports advising City policymakers, HR staff, and leadership on complex labor and employment matters and to litigate in state and federal courts and administrative forums.

Employment Section performs all aspects of litigation and advisory work, including strategy, discovery, motions, mediation, settlements, and appeals, while advancing the City's Race and

Qualifications

• Active employment law expertise across state and federal matters.
• Experience litigating labor and employment issues, first-chair capability preferred.
• Experience advising HR professionals, managers, executives, and elected officials.

Responsibilities

• Act as legal counsel to City policymakers, HR professionals, and labor negotiators on complex labor and employment matters.
• Advise City departments on employment matters including ADA accommodations, leaves, and investigations.
• Represent the City in litigation before federal/state courts and administrative agencies; draft motions and discovery requests.
• Manage e-discovery with paralegal support and prepare witnesses for depositions and trials.
• Negotiate and draft settlement agreements and mediate cases.

Skills

Employment law

Litigation

Advising HR

Education

Juris Doctor

Bar admission

Job description

With more than 200 attorneys and professional staff, the Seattle City Attorney's Office is one of the largest law offices in Seattle and is the third-largest public law office in the state. Our office is committed to making Seattle a safe, healthy, empowered, and thriving community for everyone. We strive to address historical injustices within the court system with self-examination and to pursue justice in Seattle with integrity, creativity, and fairness. We believe working transparently, innovatively, and in collaboration with our partners in the community is necessary to achieve outcomes that promote equity, accountability, and healing.

The Seattle City Attorney's Office seeks an attorney with experience in employment law and litigation to join 11 other Assistant City Attorneys, four paralegals, and two legal assistants in the Employment Section. Our attorneys play a critical role in advising on and litigating legal issues arising from Seattle's diverse workforce of over 10,000 employees in various City departments. Employment Section attorneys are generalists in labor and employment law and handle all aspects of litigation in state and federal courts and administrative forums.

The Employment Section's day-to-day work is dynamic and fast-paced. Attorneys are responsible for all aspects of litigation, including setting strategy, discovery, preparing and arguing motions, overseeing mediation and settlement, and taking cases to trial and through any appeal. We take a collaborative, team-oriented approach to litigation and advice work that is essential for building effective teams and relationships with City Departments and their leadership.

Employment attorneys implement the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative in all aspects of their work.

Job Responsibilities

Advice

• Act as legal counsel to City policymakers, departmental leadership, human resources professionals, and labor negotiators on complex labor and employment matters, often under time pressure.
• Advise City departments on employment matters, including, but not limited to: ADA accommodations, leaves of absence, employee relations, labor relations, the FLSA, EEO investigations, discrimination claims, and other city, state, and federal labor and employment laws.

Litigation

• Appear and represent the City in litigation before federal court, state court, administrative agencies, and in labor arbitrations.
• Draft and respond to written interrogatories, requests for production, and requests for admission.
• Manage e-discovery and, with paralegal support, collect, organize, assess, and produce electronically stored information in compliance with court rules and ethical obligations.
• Take witness testimony and prepare witnesses for testifying at depositions, trials, arbitrations, and before other administrative agencies.
• Draft motions for summary judgment and conduct other motion practice as required.
• Mediate cases, including drafting mediation statements and advising City Departments and the City Attorney on settlement.
• Negotiate and draft settlement agreements.

Race and Social Justice

• Collaborate with colleagues and clients to align with the City's mission of ending institutionalized racism in the City government.

This position requires membership in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association or licensure in another state, and the ability to complete the membership process within four (4) months of an offer of employment.

Additionally, this role requires the following:

• Expertise in state and federal employment law. Expertise in traditional labor law is also desired.
• Experience in litigating labor and employment matters, including the ability to first-chair complex litigation and appeals.
• Experience advising HR professionals, managers, executives, and elected officials on complex and nuanced employment and labor issues. Experience advising public employers, including public safety clients, is also desired.
• Experience in applying policies and practices related to equity.
• The ability to independently manage a portfolio by meeting deadlines, identifying and adapting priorities, and navigating a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to develop and maintain positive and productive relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently under tight deadlines set by courts and clients