Principal Attorney

The Personnel Board of Jefferson County Alabama; Birmingham (AL); Hybrid; USD 109,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Pension plan

Paid holidays

Sick leave

Vacation leave

Job summary

The City of Birmingham is seeking an experienced Principal Attorney to perform complex professional legal duties, including preparing cases for trial and providing legal assistance to executive-level leadership (e.g., City’s council, department heads, boards).

The role involves conducting research, negotiating agreements, and guiding department projects while maintaining professional development activities and a strong understanding of applicable laws.

Qualifications

• Licensed attorney admitted to the Alabama State Bar in good standing.
• Experience handling complex litigation or transactional matters (e.g., police misconduct, constitutional rights, contracts, real estate, government procurement).
• Experience leading and delegating work to support staff and acting as lead attorney in matters.

Responsibilities

• Represent the City, boards, agencies, and employees in court and before boards and mediators.
• Investigate claims and prepare for litigation to minimize liability and loss.
• Draft and review legal documents to protect the City’s interests and guide decision making.

Skills

Litigation experience

Legal research

Negotiation

Staff management

Policy advice

Education

Licensed attorney (Alabama Bar in good standing)

Tools

Legal research databases

Job description

LOCATIONS

Birmingham

TARGET CLOSE DATE

10/09/2026

PAY GRADE

Grade 38

TYPE

Full time

JOB SUMMARY

The City of Birmingham is seeking to hire an experienced Principal Attorney to be responsible for performing complex professional legal duties for the city, such as preparing complex and difficult cases for trial and providing legal assistance to executive-level leadership (e.g., City's council, department heads, boards). Employees in this position conduct legal research, establish goals and timelines for departmental projects, offer advice and feedback to less-experienced attorneys, negotiate various agreements (e.g., claim settlements, contracts), and participate in professional development activities (e.g., conferences, workshops).

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The City of Birmingham provides competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more.

$108,617 - $168,500

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The following are job-related qualifications that are required for employment consideration for this position:

• Member of the Alabama State Bar Association in good standing.
• Experience in areas of litigation or transactional work handling complex legal issues (e.g., police misconduct, excessive use of force, workplace discrimination, personal injury claims, violation of constitutional rights, reviewing and drafting agreements, real-estate transactions, writing ordinances, government procurement issues).
• Experience assigning and delegating work to administrative support staff.
• Experience as the lead attorney in litigation or transactional matters.

TYPICAL JOB DUTIES

• Represents the City, boards, agencies and employees in court (e.g., trials and appeals), before administrative boards, agencies and mediators following legal standards and practices and City and departmental policies to protect the City’s legal position and achieve City goals.
• Investigates claims and complaints by or against the City and prepares for and represents the city in litigation involving the City and its staff in order to eliminate and/or minimize liability and loss.
• Drafts and reviews legal documents per applicable laws to protect the legal position of the City, boards and agencies and guide their decision-making processes.
• Ensures adherence to applicable laws, codes, ordinances, etc. on behalf of the jurisdiction (e.g., City of Birmingham) and its Boards/Agencies by providing legal advice (e.g., policy, other legal matters) and communicating with local businesses, residents, and professionals in order to minimize legal liability of the jurisdiction.
• Conducts legal research and participates in professional development activities to maintain a current, comprehensive knowledge of applicable laws and legal procedures and a license to practice law.
• Negotiates agreements (e.g., claim settlements, contracts, etc.) with individuals and/or attorneys on behalf of the jurisdiction.
• Manages agency projects by establishing goals and timelines, delegating responsibilities, reviewing work, working with outside agencies and vendors, and completing various project reports.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Job is primarily sedentary involving sitting for long periods of time, but may involve occasional walking or standing for brief periods. Job may also involve occasional light lifting of items or objects weighing up to 25 lbs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is conducted almost exclusively indoors in office settings and courtroom settings. Work involves use of standard office equipment, such as computer, phone, copier, etc.

EEO STATEMENT

The Personnel Board of Jefferson Countyprovides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Each Merit System member city/agencyoperates its own equal employment opportunity policies available on the individual city/agency website.

ACCOMMODATION

To request an accommodation in the application or hiring process due to your own ongoing medical condition or disability, please contact our Accommodations Coordinator at [e-mail] or phone at 205-279-3500 (select option 1) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The accommodation process is reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or accommodation in the job application process.

DISCLAIMER

This job posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required for this position and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.