Assistant City Attorney IV - Municipal Operations

City of Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Austin seeks an Assistant City Attorney IV to provide legal services to the City under the direction of the City Attorney. This role may advise senior and executive management, elected officials, and City Departments on highly complex issues and conduct sophisticated legal research and drafting.

The attorney will represent the City in internal and external matters, assist with or lead assignments with significant political, operational, or financial impact, and may supervise staff on

Qualifications

• Graduation from an American Bar Association accredited school of law.
• Current active membership in good standing of the State Bar of Texas.
• Twelve (12) full years of active practice as a licensed attorney.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced legal advice to elected officials and senior and executive management on highly complex issues with political/financial impact.
• Perform research on complex legal issues with political or financial impact.
• Prepare legal documents on complex legal matters.
• Lead and represent the City in complex internal and external legal matters.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Policy analysis

Education

ABA-accredited law school

Job description

About This Position

This position provides legal services to and on behalf of the City under the direction of the City Attorney. This role may include providing legal advice to senior and executive management, elected officials, and City Departments; conducting complex legal research; preparing legal documents; representing the City in internal and external legal matters; and assisting with or leading complex assignments with significant legal, political, operational, or financial impact. Attorney positions within the Austin City Attorney's Office are not governed by the City's non-sworn Municipal Civil Service rules.

Job Description

Assistant City Attorney IV

Purpose

Under the direction of the City Attorney, this position provides legal services to and on behalf of the City.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities

• Legal Advice: With minimal or no supervision, provides advanced level legal advice to elected officials and senior and executive management on highly complex issues that may have high political/ financial impact. May assist other attorneys on other assignments.
• Legal Research: With minimal or no supervision, performs research on complex legal issues with a high level of political or financial impact. May assist other attorneys on other assignments.
• Legal Writing: With minimal or no supervision, prepares legal documents on complex legal matters. May assist other attorneys on other assignments.
• Legal Advocacy: With minimal or no supervision, acts as a lead representative of the City in complex internal and external legal matters that have significant political/financial impact. May assist other attorneys on other assignments.

Responsibilities – Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised

• Supervision: May supervise other attorneys or staff on an acting or interim basis.
• Leadership: Provides substantial mentoring and training to lower-level attorneys on legal issues and legal skills. May lead project teams or cross-Divisional work teams.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
• Knowledge of substantive laws applicable to Texas local governments.
• Knowledge of the City of Austin Charter, Code, and administrative policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of relevant court procedures and rules of evidence.
• Ability to communicate and present analysis and information both orally and in writing in a clear and effective manner.
• Ability to conduct thorough and accurate legal and factual research relevant to the job assignment.
• Ability to analyze and problem solve in a timely fashion on legal issues relevant to the job assignment.
• Proficiency in use of Departmental computer systems and technology
• Effective law office organizational skills.
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks, schedule interruptions, and shifting time deadlines.
• Ability to conform to Departmental administrative procedures and requirements.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other City employees and the public.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an American Bar Association accredited school of law.
• Current active membership in good standing of the State Bar of Texas.
• Twelve (12) full years of active practice as a licensed attorney.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in airport law, including airport governance, operations, capital projects, and regulatory compliance.
• Knowledge of relevant aviation law, federal grants, and transportation regulations.
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex contracts, ordinances, resolutions, policies, and agreements.
• Ability to represent the airport in complex negotiations and stakeholder meetings with multiple parties.

Licenses and Certifications Required

• License to practice law issued by the State Bar of Texas.

Compensation Range

The annual hiring range for this position is $110,100.00-$140,900.00

Division Overview

Municipal Operations Division: The attorneys in the Municipal Operations Division provide legal advice to City Council and City staff, and handle complex matters relating to finance matters, procurement, leases and permits, economic growth and development, budget, transportation, public health, and construction. The work is transactional but may include support for the Litigation Division in cases involving their projects and participation in alternative dispute resolution processes. Attorneys advise City Council in writing as well as by presenting at City Council meetings, both in public and in executive sessions. The attorney may be responsible for negotiating and drafting contracts, conducting regulatory research, reviewing, and drafting legal memoranda, resolutions, ordinances,