Assistant City Attorney II

Closing Date: 19th September, 2025

Description:

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Job Summary:
This is a mid-level attorney position which uses well established legal procedures and precedents to perform a variety of professional legal functions. This position works independently to perform legal work requiring specialization in trial, claims, taxation, condemnation, or other types of legal work. Work is reviewed by higher level attorneys.

Job Description:
Overview:
The Assistant City Attorney II provides professional legal services and functions under established legal procedures and precedents. Performs legal work requiring specialization in trial, claims, taxation, condemnation, or other types of legal work.

Essential Functions:

1. Prepares, creates, and presents cases in municipal, state, and federal court involving violations; defends and prosecutes traffic, zoning, and comparable code violations and litigation involving personal injury, civil rights, employment, zoning, eminent domain, environmental, code compliance and other general litigation claims.
2. Assists attorney of higher rank in preparing cases for trial and performs trial work involving major civil or criminal cases; searches for, interprets, and applies laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities on points of law in the preparation of opinions and in research on issues arising in city litigation, claims, and transactions.
3. Prepares legal opinions, memoranda, and data for the guidance of the departments in the city and represents them in a variety of court proceedings.
4. Interviews police officers, inspectors, other employees or individuals in presenting city issues and cases; discusses case strategies, progress, issues, and relevant law with superiors.
5. Studies case law for information and precedents bearing on city legal issues for application in cases, claims, and transactions for review by superiors; prepares briefs and arguments on appeals to higher courts and evaluates appeal cases to make recommendations whether or not the city should appeal.
6. Attends meetings of departmental officials and employees to advise on legal questions and impact of city decisions, policies, proposed actions and procedures which should be followed; reviews city requests for open records and prepares appropriate response.
7. Approves legal documents for bids, contracts and bonds for city work and supplies; drafts and reviews contracts, transactions, ordinances, and formal resolutions for completeness and legality and does legal research as required.
8. Performs other legal duties as directed by the City Attorney to resolve legal issues involving the City of Dallas.
9. Performs any and all other work as needed or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:
Education:
Bachelor's Degree and law school graduate.

Experience:
Five (5) Years' of experience performing legal functions and services preferably in a Municipal setting.

Licenses and Certifications:
Admission to the State Bar of Texas, and where applicable, in federal court.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of the principles of civil and criminal law, city ordinances, state laws, established precedents and sources of legal reference.
2. Knowledge of court procedures and rules of evidence.
3. Knowledge of the principles, methods, materials, practices and references utilized in legal research.
4. Ability to analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence and precedents in assigned cases.
5. Ability to present and argue cases in court and to handle unanticipated problems smoothly.
6. Communicating effectively both verbally and in writing.
7. Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.

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