Deputy City Attorney II

City of Sacramento; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Sacramento invites applications for a Deputy City Attorney II in the City Attorney’s Office. The position supports the Community Advocacy and Public Safety Division, handling civil nuisance abatement, receivership proceedings, gun violence restraining orders, and related litigation with minimal billable hours in a fast-paced public interest setting.

The role offers a hybrid work model (two days in-office) with supervisory guidance, ensuring opportunities to grow litigation skills

Qualifications

• Two years of professional legal experience comparable to Deputy City Attorney I with the City of Sacramento.
• J.D. or equivalent law degree that entitles a candidate to sit for the California Bar Examination.
• Proof of education and bar membership as required.

Responsibilities

• Performs more complex legal research and prepares opinions for the City Council, and the City’s boards, commissions, departments and City staff.
• Prepares and offers advice on ordinances, resolutions, contracts, leases, and other legal documents; reviews documents and offers advice as to the legal acceptability of such documents; confers and assists City departments by analyzing and applying legal points and procedures, makes necessary recommendations regarding existing policies and procedures in order to meet legal requirements.
• Investigates claims and complaints by or against the City; gives advice on action to be taken; prepares cases for hearings; represents the City in such hearings.
• Handles civil law problems, including the preparation of cases for trial.
• Provides legal advice on City policies and procedures.
• Initiates and defends cases involving the City, prepares the required pleadings; serves as trial counsel for the City before State and Federal courts at all levels.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Oral advocacy

Drafting pleadings

Education

J.D. or equivalent

California Bar admission

Tools

Legal research databases

Job description

THIS POSTING WILL BE OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Application cut-off dates are the 15th and last day of each month.

With supervisor approval, incumbents may be eligible for intermittent remote work; however, they must physically reside within the Sacramento region or have the ability to regularly report to a City of Sacramento physical worksite with little notice.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

The Sacramento City Attorney’s Office is seeking a dynamic attorney to join our Community Advocacy and Public Safety Division. This position offers a hybrid work model (two days per week in-office) with no billable hour requirements. Duties will span civil nuisance abatement, Health and Safety Code § 17980.7 receivership proceedings, Gun Violence Restraining Orders, Pitchess motion responses, and some criminal prosecution. The ideal candidate will possess strong legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills, with a strong desire to grow their litigation practice in a fast-paced public interest setting. They will also provide legal advisory support to various public safety-related City departments. The ideal candidate will work effectively both independently and collaboratively and be ready to handle civil litigation matters through all stages of proceedings.

Under general direction, the Deputy City Attorney II provides professional legal services for the City of Sacramento and its boards, commissions, officers, and departments and performs related work as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is a professional-level classification populated with multiple incumbents assigned to a City Attorney’s office. In general the Deputy City Attorney II is responsible for a variety of professional legal duties. Work involves handling civil law problems including the preparation of cases for trial, drafting resolutions and documents and preparation of legal opinions. The incumbent's work may also involve handling civil, criminal and administrative matters, city code violations, investigations, legal research, preparing and filing court documents, appearances before judicial and quasi-judicial bodies, labor relations, and education of City staff.

Deputy City Attorney II is the intermediate to more experienced level of Deputy City Attorney. Incumbents are expected to use sound professional judgment and skill in performing work, which may be reviewed and approved by a Supervising Deputy City Attorney, and in some cases, by the Assistant City Attorney or the City Attorney. The Deputy City Attorney II is distinguished from the higher-level classification of Senior Deputy City Attorney in that the latter is more seasoned and experienced and works on more complex legal issues with minimal supervision.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

General direction is provided by a Supervising Deputy City Attorney, the Assistant City Attorney and the City Attorney. The Deputy City Attorney II does not supervise.

TYPICAL DUTIES

• Performs more complex legal research and prepares opinions on various legal problems for the City Council, and the City’s boards, commissions, departments and City staff.
• Prepares and offers advice on ordinances, resolutions, contracts, leases, and other legal documents; reviews documents and offers advice as to the legal acceptability of such documents; confers and assists City departments by analyzing and applying legal points and procedures, makes necessary recommendations regarding existing policies and procedures in order to meet legal requirements.
• Investigates claims and complaints by or against the City; gives advice on action to be taken; prepares cases for hearings; represents the City in such hearings.
• Handles civil law problems, including the preparation of cases for trial.
• Provides legal advice on City policies and procedures.
• Initiates and defends cases involving the City, prepares the required pleadings; serves as trial counsel for the City before State and Federal courts at all levels.
• Represents the City Attorney at various board and commission meetings as assigned.
• Initiates code enforcement proceedings as necessary and prepares all required documents; prepares cases for condemnation proceedings.
• Applies legal knowledge to varied problems.
• Performs other or related work as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Municipal, state, federal and constitutional laws affecting city government.
• Methods of legal research.
• Court and administrative agency procedures, including pleading requirements, rules of court, and evidentiary rules.
• Ethical and other Rules of Professional Conduct that regulate the practice of law.

Skill in:

• Utilizing in proficient manner available computer equipment and software, and other law office technology to format, prepare and process documents in a reasonably efficient manner.
• Automated legal research.

Ability to:

• Acquire within a reasonable time, through knowledge of City Code, City ordinances, City Charter; and other laws related to municipal legal affairs.
• Read and comprehend legal documents quickly and efficiently.
• Use sound judgment in providing legal advice.
• Establish and maintain cooperative relationships.
• Work well under the pressure of a heavy caseload and short deadlines.
• Recognize issues of political sensitivity and notify supervisor of the same.
• Deal effectively and diplomatically with City officials, outside agencies and attorneys, and the public.
• Deal effectively and diplomatically with other office support and professional staff.
• Draft and present persuasive legal arguments.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Research a variety of complex technical and legal issues and make recommendations demonstrating the exercise of sound legal advice.
• Apply legal knowledge to varied problems.
• Analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents.
• Prepare appropriate pleadings and other documents in litigation cases, and represent the City in administrative and judicial proceedings, at the trial and appellate level.
• Work effectively and cooperatively in a team environment.
• Provide general direction to support staff.
• Demonstrate skill in learning to understand varied and complex non-legal subjects, in analyzing non-legal problems, and in relating non-legal subjects and problems to applicable law.
• Undertake and complete assigned projects on own initiative with supervision and direction.
• Inspire and impart confidence and trust.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned by a Supervising Deputy City Attorney, the City Attorney or Assistant City Attorney.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Experience: Two years of professional legal experience comparable to Deputy City Attorney I with the City of Sacramento.

Education: LLB, JD or other equivalent law degree that entitles a candidate to sit for the California Bar Examination.

PROOF OF EDUCATION

Should education be used to qualify for this position, then proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential's evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.

PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP

Proof of the required membership and/or license should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Member in good standing with the California State Bar Association with no record of practice related discipline; have no felony convictions and be of good moral character. Qualified to practice law before all courts in California and relevant Federal Courts, including the Ninth Circuit and U.S. Supreme.