Assistant City Attorney/ Planning & Zoning

COH City Of Hialeah; United States; On-site; USD 50,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Hialeah seeks an experienced City Attorney to supervise and administer the Office of City Attorney, providing services to all municipal departments, the City Council, advisory boards, and the Mayor; with a primary focus on Planning & Zoning.

The successful candidate will perform a wide range of challenging legal duties, including contracts, ordinances, and real estate matters, and will serve as legal counsel at board meetings as assigned.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school required.
• Active Florida Bar in good standing required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience practicing law.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, reviews, and approves contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal documents for City departments.
• Prepares and reviews proposed ordinances, resolutions, and other legislation.
• Advises City on legal policy and court matters; drafts opinions and pleadings.
• Assists in land acquisition, negotiates settlements, and processes related legal documents post-settlement.
• Analyses real estate proposals and negotiates lease terms for City-owned assets.
• Attends board meetings and serves as legal counsel as assigned.

Skills

Municipal law knowledge

Legal research

Drafting skills

Oral and written communication

Negotiation

Independence

Education

Juris Doctorate

Active Florida Bar

Job description

Salary Range: $50,000.00 - $300,000.00

Overview

The purpose of this position is to assist the City Attorney in supervising and administering the activities of the Office of City Attorney, and in the performance of a wide variety of difficult professional legal duties which include providing services for all municipal departments, the City Council, advisory boards, and Mayor; accomplishing difficult legal activities primarily involving Planning & Zoning.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, examines, and approves contracts, deeds, leases and other legal documents and instruments for City departments.
• Prepares and reviews proposed ordinances, resolutions, and other legislation.
• Reviews such documents and offers opinions as to legal acceptability when presented to the municipality for consideration by an outside agent or agency; confers with the City Attorney to determine legal policy.
• Studies and interprets the constitution, laws, court decisions, City Charter, ordinances, and other legal authorities to give legal advice or prepare opinions, pleadings, briefs, and other legal documents relating to court proceedings.
• Prepares and passes upon the legality or sufficiency of contracts and other legal documents.
• Attends board meetings and serves as legal counsel at such meetings as assigned.
• Assists in the land acquisition program of the City by drafting and reviewing documents relating thereto, negotiating settlements for the purchase of land as directed and particularly after eminent domain proceedings have been filed, and processing the legal documents for the property acquired after settlement has been reached.
• Analyzes real estate proposals and negotiates lease terms for City owned assets.
• Acts as City liaison for real estate activities with other agencies such as Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida Department of Transportation, other governmental entities, and economists and appraisers.
• Reviews unsolicited proposals and P3s involving City owned real estate.
• Manages the tangible assets of the City and works with the County and State to ensure tax compliance for all transactions.
• Provides legal counsel to Building and Zoning Divisions pertaining to all aspects of community development, including any board of such department that makes recommendations to the City Council.
• Drafts, prepares, and issues or causes to be noticed and issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and similar competitive solicitation documents involving City’s property.
• Performs such other related duties and functions as requested by the Supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of Federal, State, and municipal civil laws and constitutional law affecting municipal government.
• Court procedures and rules of evidence, legal research procedures and forms.
• Ability to acquire thorough knowledge of the City Charter and ordinances and to apply legal knowledge to varied problems.
• Analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents.
• Analyze and brief court decisions, provisions of City ordinances, Federal and State statutes.
• Draft legal memorandums, ordinances, and resolutions.
• Reconcile conflicting provisions of laws and court decisions.
• Express ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing; use excellent English.
• Follow oral and written instructions; work effectively with other employees.
• Meet the general public with courtesy and tact.
• Skill in conducting research on complex legal problems, preparing sound legal opinions, preparing and presenting cases in court.
• Knowledge of the principles and concepts related to local government law is preferred.
• High degree of independence, initiative, communicate effectively, handle several assignments concurrently and develop and maintain effective and positive working relationships.

Physical Requirements

• Must have ability to effectively communicate and interact with other employees and the public through the use of telephone and personal contact as normally defined by the ability to see, read, talk, stand, hear, use hand and finger dexterity, handle, feel or operate objects, read and write English.
• Physical capability to effectively use and operate various items of office equipment; such as but not limited to a personal computer, calculator, copier and fax machines.
• Work is performed indoors within a quiet to moderately noisy environment.
• Must be able to lift, carry and/or push articles weighing up to 20 lbs.

Minimum Training and Experience

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
• 5 years of experience practicing law.
• Must be an active member in good standing of the Florida Bar.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Hialeah is an equal opportunity employer. There will not be any discrimination or harassment of any kind on account of age, color, race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, marital or familial status, military service or any of the protected categories. The City of Hialeah is a drug and alcohol free employer.