Description:
About This Position:The City of Phoenix Law Department is comprised of two sections: the City Attorney's Office (Civil Division), which represents the City in civil matters, and the City Prosecutor's Office (Criminal Division), which prosecutes misdemeanor crimes committed in Phoenix. The Civil Division is comprised of six areas: Public Safety, Litigation, Transportation, Human Resources, City Services, and Community Development.
The Civil Division seeks an accomplished attorney and seasoned litigator to serve as Assistant Chief Counsel to manage and direct the Litigation Section. The Assistant Chief Counsel serves within the Office of the City Attorney, operating under the general policies of the City Council and City Manager, and in full compliance with the accepted standards of the legal profession and all applicable ethical rules. In this role, you will supervise, mentor, and develop a team of six attorneys, while serving as the primary legal advisor to the City's Risk Management Division on a broad range of challenging legal issues.
The Litigation Section represents and defends the City and its employees in both state and federal courts, handling a diverse caseload that includes wrongful death, motor vehicle accidents, roadway design and construction, use of force and deprivation of rights, premises liability, and public records requests. The Section also handles special actions and appeals, presents cases to the Claims Committee for potential settlement, and appears before the Phoenix City Council in Executive Session to present cases for legal discussion and consultation.
All attorneys in the Law Department are assigned and may be reassigned based on the best interests of the City, at the discretion of the City Attorney.
This position requires a commitment beyond a standard 40-hour workweek, including evenings, weekends, early morning hours, and holidays, as necessary.
The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of municipal government and a proven track record of working with elected officials and department leaders to navigate and resolve complex legal issues.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Four years of experience as a practicing civil attorney,
- Including six months of experience in the practice of municipal law.
- Graduation from an accredited school of law.
- Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.
- All finalists for positions are subject to a criminal background check applicable to the department or position.
- For information regarding pre-screening and driving positions, click here (https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/hrsite/documents/talent-acquisition/Pre-Employment%20Information%209.12.2023.pdf).
- The City job description can be found here (https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/hrsite/jobdesc/10210.pdf).
Preferred Qualifications:
The minimum qualifications listed above, plus:
- Eight years of experience as a practicing attorney.
- Experience handling and/or overseeing tort litigation.
- Experience handling and/or supervising municipal liability litigation.
Experience:
- Conducting and providing litigation risk analyses, including both liability and damages risk.
- Providing legal counsel to public safety agencies, including police and fire departments, is also highly desirable.
- Managing legal and other professional personnel.
- Communicating regularly with high level managers, department heads, and elected officials.