Deputy City Attorney - Litigator

City of Tacoma; Washington; On-site; USD 93,000 - 132,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Tacoma seeks an experienced attorney to join its tort litigation team as a Deputy City Attorney. This appointive role reports to the City Attorney and defends civil actions against the City, its departments, and employees.

You will handle pre-litigation claims, case evaluation, strategy development, and trial preparation while coordinating with city departments and outside counsel. Ideal candidates will have a JD, WA Bar admission, and at least four years of professional legal

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate required.
• Admission to Washington State Bar Association.
• 4 years of professional-level legal counsel experience (civil, criminal or administrative).
• Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education.
• Desirable: 4 years of litigation experience.
• Experience as in-house counsel or municipal attorney preferred.
• Ability to independently manage litigation in state and federal court.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity in alignment with City of Tacoma’s initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Defend civil actions against the City of Tacoma, its departments and employees.
• Assist with pre-litigation claims, evaluate cases, and develop case strategies.
• Prepare cases for trial, appear in court, and file briefs and pleadings on time.
• Negotiate settlements and communicate with elected and appointed officials.

Education

Juris Doctorate

Job description

The Tacoma City Attorney’s Office is seeking an experienced attorney with an interest in public sector law to join our tort litigation team. This is an appointive position reporting to the City Attorney. As a Deputy City Attorney, this position will be responsible for defending civil actions against the City of Tacoma, its various departments and employees.

The successful candidate will be part of a team of four attorneys, two paralegals and a legal assistant responsible for assisting with pre-litigation claims, evaluating cases, developing case strategies, preparing cases for trial, appearing in court, preparing and filing briefs and pleadings on time both in trial court and the courts of appeal, building relationships with City departments and divisions, managing outside counsel, negotiating settlement agreements, and communicating with elected and appointed officials. This is a litigation position involving tort claims, claims under the Public Records Act, employment disputes, civil rights claims and other claims against the City and its officials.

These claims span from relatively minor matters to intensely litigated cases involving severe injuries, death and/or matters of public importance.

Job Responsibilities

This position will focus primarily on litigation, although it may involve advisory and transactional work on matters where litigation is anticipated. This position requires strong organizational skills and the ability to independently manage a busy, deadline-driven practice.

Litigators are responsible for evaluating all cases assigned to them, assessing potential liability and risk, and developing an appropriate litigation strategy in order to achieve an appropriate outcome. The practice involves all aspects of both affirmative and defensive civil litigation, including motions practice, discovery, trial, and appellate work.

The successful applicant must be able to meet professional and ethical standards in a fast-paced and ever-changing litigation landscape while managing both routine and highly scrutinized matters of public importance, and must have the ability to build relationships within the organization, remain informed of new developments in state and federal law, and be adept at communicating with people of diverse ethnic and social backgrounds. Because this is a general litigation position, this position requires the ability to quickly learn and develop strategies regarding a wide variety of substantive areas of the law, and to collaborate with the litigation team to find creative solutions to a myriad of case and client-related concerns.

Qualifications

• Minimum Education*
• Juris Doctorate
• Minimum Experience*
• 4 years of professional-level legal counsel experience (civil, criminal or administrative matters). Depending on assignment, some positions may require experience directly related to area of assignment.
• *Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education
• Desired Qualifications4 years of litigation experience
• Experience as in-house counsel, e.g., Assistant Attorney General, or municipal attorney, or experience in insurance defense or other government-related law practice
• Admission to the Washington State Bar Association and license to practice law in Washington
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage litigation in state and federal court.
• Ability to effectively represent elected and high-profile clients in prominent matters
• Demonstrated proficiency in research, writing, and communication skills. Effectively complete complex assignments independently and a wide variety of tasks simultaneously.
• Comfort with novel legal issues and emerging areas of law.
• Ability to show commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity in alignment with the City of Tacoma’s Anti-Racist Society and Equity and Empowerment Initiatives.

A Commitment to Equity & Diversity

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

The Community

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI

Pay Details

Hourly Rate: $67.84- $95.51
Annual Salary: $141,107.20- $198,660.80