Senior Assistant City Attorney

City of Bellevue; Bellevue (WA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Bellevue, through the City Attorney’s Office, seeks a Senior Attorney with substantial government litigation and advisory experience to join a fast-paced, collaborative team.

This role focuses on transportation, long range planning, capital projects, neighborhoods and environmental stewardship, with emphasis on land use permitting and regulatory decisions.

Hybrid schedule after orientation; WA residency required; strong drafting, risk analysis and briefing skills expected.

Qualifications

• Graduate of ABA-accredited law school with JD.
• Licensed to practice law in Washington state.
• Extensive knowledge of Growth Management Act, Local Project Review Act and SEPA.
• Experience drafting development regulations, ordinances and procedures.
• Minimum 5 years municipal/government experience.
• Minimum 3 years permitting, land use and environmental matters.

Responsibilities

• Provide regular counseling to City departments on municipal law topics.
• Advise and defend local land use decisions in permitting processes.
• Develop strategies for issues during planning, environmental review, and code development.
• Draft resolutions and ordinances for City Council adoption.
• Respond to state legislation affecting land use regulations.
• Represent the City in litigation and administrative appeals.

Skills

Municipal law knowledge

Government client advisory

Litigation experience

Legal research (Westlaw)

Clear oral/written communication

Independent judgment

Project management

Stakeholder relations

Self-development mindset

Education

Juris Doctor (ABA-accredited law school)

Washington State bar license

Knowledge of Growth Management Act and land use

Experience drafting regulations and ordinances

Municipal/government experience (5+ yrs)

Permitting/land use experience (3+ yrs)

Tools

Westlaw

Job description

Are you a dynamic, forward-thinking attorney with substantial experience representing government looking for a cooperative and vibrant environment to further your professional development? Are you excited about the opportunity to work for a thriving, diverse city with unique challenges? Are you a dynamic problem solver who is not afraid to challenge the status quo? If so, we invite you to explore the City of Bellevue and its City Attorney’s Office.

Bellevue is routinely ranked among the best mid-sized cities in the country. The Bellevue City Attorney’s Office is a 30-member department that provides civil advice, litigation, and criminal prosecution. We are looking for an exceptional candidate to fill a Senior Attorney position and join our fast-paced, collegial and supportive work environment. This position will primarily provide advice on matters related to transportation, long range planning, capital projects, neighborhoods/community development, and environmental stewardship.

This Senior Attorney will be in the Civil Division and responsible for providing professional legal services, litigation services, risk analysis, advice, and representation to the city government. This position will focus on legal services supporting and defending administrative and regulatory land use and planning City permitting decisions. The ideal candidate will be comfortable advising City Departments on day-to-day legal issues, supporting and defending City regulatory and administrative land use decisions, assessing litigation risks, and providing briefings to the City Management and City Council.

Primary Duties:

• Provide regular counseling and strategic advice to City departments and management, both orally and in writing, on various facets of municipal law.
• Focused support, advice, and defense for City departments and management authorized to issue administrative and regulatory local land use decisions.
• Advise and develop responsive strategy to issues raised during permitting, land use entitlement, planning, environmental review, code compliance, and policy and code development processes about interpretation and application of development regulations and governing rules and laws.
• Assist City departments in drafting resolutions and ordinances for adoption by the City Council.
• Respond to state legislation affecting local land use regulations, rules, and land use decisions; and advise City departments of legal requirements.
• Draft and review legal documents and contracts, including concomitant agreements, settlement agreements, covenants, conditions of permits and approvals and other legal agreements with other governmental bodies and third parties.
• Represent the City in litigation, administrative and judicial land use appeals, and contested matters before administrative and judicial bodies.

Supervision Received and Exercised:

• The Senior Attorney duties and responsibilities are performed under the moderate to general supervision of a Supervising Civil Attorney in the City Attorney’s Office.

Knowledge, Abilities and Experience:

• In-depth knowledge of municipal law and other legal requirements that apply to governments.
• Substantial background advising government clients on permitting, land use, planning, the State Growth Management Act, the Local Project Review Act, environmental, code compliance, and policy and code development matters.
• Litigation experience in administrative and court proceedings related to permitting, land use, environmental and/or code compliance matters.
• Excellent legal research and analytical skills, including using Westlaw.
• Ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly, logically and persuasively and adapt communication style to diverse audiences.
• Ability to make clear and convincing oral presentations and in writing; effective listening skills.
• Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment within general guidelines.
• Ability to obtain results by carrying out assigned projects to their completion. Good organization, prioritization and collaboration skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with co-workers, city elected officials and leadership, other city staff, and the public.
• Ability to assess and recognize own strengths and weaknesses to pursue self-development; willingness to take direction from senior staff.
• Commitment to serving the public.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate of an ABA accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree.
• Currently licensed and in good standing to practice law in the State of Washington.
• Considerable knowledge of the Growth Management Act, Local Project Review Act, Land Use Petition Act, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), municipal law, development permitting and land use entitlement processes.
• Experience in drafting development regulations, ordinances, resolutions and administrative procedures.
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant municipal or other government experience.
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional related experience with permitting, land use, planning, environmental, code compliance, and/or policy and code development matters.
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Flexible/Hybrid Working:

A hybrid work schedule is available for this position after an orientation period working in the office after hire. Remote work for this position is subject to department's operational needs and will be discussed with candidates during the selection process. Full-time remote work is not an available option. Once hired, employees must reside in the State of Washington and within reasonable commuting distance to Bellevue City Hall.

We screen our applicants blindly for the first round of screening. Candidates who are invited to interview will be asked to provide a cover letter, resume and writing sample.