City Attorney

Rockvillemd; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 220,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Job summary

The City of Rockville seeks a trusted legal advisor and visionary leader to serve as City Attorney, reporting to the Mayor and Council as the City’s chief legal officer. The role demands strong municipal law expertise, sound judgement, and a collaborative management approach to guide city operations.

Qualifications include a Juris Doctor, seven years in public/municipal law with three years in supervisory roles, and Maryland bar eligibility.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school is required.
• Seven years of active practice in public/municipal law with three years of supervisory/management experience.
• Extensive municipal experience in litigation, land use, redevelopment, utilities, contracts, or public safety.
• Member in good standing of the Maryland State Bar or eligible to practice in Maryland.

Responsibilities

• Advise Mayor and Council, City Manager, Clerk, and department directors on municipal law matters.
• Represent the city in legal proceedings and prepare ordinances and legal documents.
• Retain outside counsel for specialized services and review city contracts for legal form.
• Manage the City Attorney’s Office including staff development and workload priorities.

Skills

Municipal law

Leadership

Collaboration

Communication

Policy analysis

Education

Juris Doctor

Job description

View the City Attorney recruitment brochure for additional information: City of Rockville MD City Attorney Recruitment Brochure

The City of Rockville is seeking a trusted legal advisor and visionary organizational leader who brings strong municipal law expertise, sound judgement, and a highly collaborative management approach to serve as the City Attorney. Reporting to the Mayor and Council, the City Attorney is the City's chief legal officer.

Essential job duties of the City Attorney include (but are not limited) to:

1. Advising the Mayor and Council, City Manager, City Clerk and department directors regarding the law related to city matters and operations.
2. Representing the city in all legal proceedings, preparing city ordinances and other legal documents.
3. Retaining outside counsel for specialized legal services.
4. Reviewing and approving all city contracts as to legal form.
5. Manage the overall operation of the City Attorney's office including staff management and development.

The selected candidate will:

• Possess and demonstrate a strong foundation in municipal law as well as sound judgement, integrity and a strong work ethic.
• Maintain awareness of federal, state and local legal developments. Anticipate issues and address risk proactively through policy review, procedure updates and code changes.
• Engage as a solution-oriented partner with the Mayor and Council, City Manager, City Clerk and city departments.
• Engage as an innovative problem solver that effectively communicates legal risks, tradeoffs, and options to resolve or move issues forward.
• Translate complex legal concepts and issues into plain language for clarity and understanding.
• Clearly and effectively communicate and remain steady and measured under pressure.
• Provide effective leadership of the City Attorney's Office with the ability to effectively manage workload, streamline processes, set clear priorities, and create an office culture that supports staff development, accountability, and consistent service delivery.

Education:

Juris Doctor from an accredited law school is required.

Experience:

Seven (07) years of experience in the active practice of public or municipal law and at least three (03) years supervisory/management experience.

Extensive experience in a municipal setting in the active practice of law, in areas of litigation, land use, redevelopment, municipal utilities, contracts, and/or public safety is highly desirable.

License:

Member in good standing of the in the State Bar of Maryland or be eligible to practice law in Maryland upon appointment.

Compensation and Benefits

The hiring salary range for this position is $220,000-$250,000. The city offers a competitive benefits package which includes health, dental, and vision insurance, group life and long-term disability insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, paid vacation and sick leave, and participation in the Rockville Employees Retirement System.

Application and Selection Process

Interested candidates should submit a comprehensive resume and compelling cover letter not later November 8, 2026, 11:59pm.

This recruitment will be handled with strict confidentiality until such time as finalist have been identified.

Confidential Inquiries

Susan Seling, Director of Human Resources, at [e-mail] or 240.314.8472.

The City of Rockville is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of its workforce (EOE).