Deputy City Attorney - Procurement & Construction

City of Portland; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Portland seeks an attorney with at least four years of experience in transactional law related to procurement and construction for government contracts. Responsibilities include contract review, bid protests, and risk management, with emphasis on equity in policy analysis.

Candidates must have a JD, be eligible for Oregon Bar membership, and excel in writing and communication. The role requires collaboration with other attorneys, and may involve complex public contracting issues and

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years’ transactional law experience as a licensed attorney, including experience with commercial construction and/or real estate transactions.
• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Oregon State Bar Membership, in good standing, or eligible to obtain membership.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent writing ability.
• Proficiency in time and case management.

Responsibilities

• Review construction contracts and provide ongoing project-related advice.
• Ensure compliance with public contracting requirements and procurement laws.
• Assess environmental compliance, risk management, and insurance coverage.
• Assist with bid protests, contractor claims, mediation, and dispute resolution.
• Collaborate with litigation attorneys when disputes arise.
• Commitment to racial equity in legal analysis and policy.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Excellent writing ability

Time and case management

Experience with commercialconstruction

Education

Juris Doctor from an accredited law school

Oregon State Bar Membership or eligible

Job description

Job Appointment

Full Time, At Will. This position is exempt from Civil Service and is an "At Will" position. It serves at the discretion of the hiring authority, subject to the City of Portland Human Resources Administrative Rules and the Portland City Charter and Code.

Work Schedule

Monday – Friday, 8 am-5 pm. An alternate schedule may be available.

Work Location

1221 SW 4TH AVE, PORTLAND OR 97204

Union Representation

This classification was recently recognized as represented by AFSCME-189. Terms and Conditions are currently being negotiated. To view labor agreements, current and future, please visit the Current City Labor Agreements page.

Starting Pay

The City of Portland follows the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.

Position Summary

The Portland City Attorney’s Office seeks an attorney with at least four years of experience as a transactional attorney in the areas of procurement and construction (capital improvements), to include general advice work for governmental clients or private entity clients that engage in public contracting.

Typical work includes construction contract review, ongoing project-related advice, including public contracting requirements, state and local procurement laws, environmental compliance and risk management, pre-claim dispute resolution, bid protests, contractor claims, mediation proceedings, and insurance coverage assessments. This position may also include other work as assigned by the City Attorney. This position will at times involve close work with litigation attorneys if disputes result in litigation.

The City of Portland requires candidates have a commitment to racial equity as applied to legal analysis, policy, and institutional systems.

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

1. A minimum of 4 years’ transactional law experience as a licensed attorney, including experience with commercial construction and/or real estate transactions, or other combination of experience demonstrating a capacity to perform the essential functions of the position.
2. A Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
3. Oregon State Bar Membership, in good standing, or membership in good standing in the Bar of another jurisdiction, with the ability to obtain Oregon State Bar Membership.
4. Excellent communication skills.
5. Excellent writing ability.
6. Proficiency in time and case management.

An ideal candidate will have experience in or knowledge of:

• construction litigation
• state and local contracting and procurement requirements;
• municipal law;
• business and workforce equity programs in construction contracting; and
• alternative contracting methods including construction manager/general contractor, design-build and progressive design-build.

What to Expect

1. Application Review - (Week of November 2): We'll review your application materials to ensure you meet the minimum qualifications listed above.
2. Notice/Feedback - (Week of November 9):You will receive an email when the minimum qualification review is complete. If you disagree with the evaluation results, you may request a review within 14 days of the email notice, per City Administrative Rule 3.01.
3. Selection Process - (mid-November to early December): The hiring bureau will review qualified applications, conduct interviews, and check references.
4. Conditional Job Offer - (Mid / Late December):Final candidates may undergo a background or driving record check, depending on the position.

Learn More About

• How to Apply Videos and Workshops
• City of Portland Core Values
• HRAR-3.01 - Recruitment Processes
• Veteran Preference Information
• Total Compensation and Benefits
• Language Pay Differential Eligibility

We're committed to providing a fair, inclusive, and accessible hiring process. If you need assistance with your application or would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, pregnancy, or religious belief, please contact the recruiter listed below.

Questions? We're here to help!

If you have questions about this recruitment or need assistance, contact:

Tamela Ressler, Senior Recruiter
[e-mail]
Bureau of Human Resources