Closing Date: 2nd October, 2025

Description:

About This Position:
The City of Phoenix Law Department encompasses a team of dedicated and highly qualified attorneys addressing the wide variety of legal needs of City departments providing services to the community. This department is comprised of two divisions, the City Attorney's Office, which represents the City in civil matters, and the City Prosecutor's Office, which handles the prosecution of misdemeanor crimes committed in Phoenix.

Assistant City Attorneys in the Civil Division work in one of six sections: Public Safety, Litigation, Transportation, Human Resources, City Services, and Community Development. Currently, the Community Development section is seeking a qualified Assistant City Attorney IV to provide legal services to the Housing Department.

The Housing Department serves to provide quality affordable housing and a pathway to self-sufficiency, operating as the Public Housing Authority that manages public housing, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, new housing development, and affordable housing properties.

Assistant City Attorney IVs also review, negotiate, and draft contracts and participate in other transactional work; provide client support; engage in government law practice; and handle all legal matters of the assigned client department. They are expected to perform difficult professional and administrative legal work, including revisions to the Phoenix City Code, and to consult with client decision makers regarding relevant legal issues. These attorneys may also be required to staff public meetings and represent the City during administrative hearings or court proceedings. Assistant City Attorneys report to an Assistant Chief Counsel and generally work independently in performing their duties. All attorneys in the Law Department are assigned and may be reassigned based on the best interests of the City, as determined by the City Attorney.

This position is eligible for up to four days a week of remote work, with one in-office day for meeting with the Civil Division section, implemented at the discretion of the City Attorney. Attorneys are expected to meet the needs of their clients and the Department, including any court obligations, city council or city management meetings, or other in-office obligations.

The opportunity to underfill as an Assistant City Attorney III may be considered. The Attorney Ill underfill will be candidates who require additional experience to meet the qualifications of the Attorney IV classification. Candidates will be non-competitively promoted to the Attorney IV classification once they possess sufficient experience.

Ideal Candidate:
Exhibits the following attributes:

High professional and ethical standing in the legal community.
Willingness to work extended hours, with a flexible schedule.
Knowledge of municipal law, including contracts/procurement, open meetings, public records, and conflicts.
Thorough grasp of state and federal law applicable to public housing, including the Fair Housing Act and the Professional Responsibility Work Opportunities and Reconciliation Act.
Extensive understanding of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations (under Title 24 of the CFR) for federal housing programs and Uniform Guidance requirements (under 2 CFR Part 200) for federal funding awards.
Background in real estate and development transactions, including experience with financing, subsidies, and federal grant programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Programs.
Skills in conflict resolution and creativity in alternative problem-solving techniques.

Minimum Qualifications:
Assistant City Attorney III

Three years of experience as a practicing attorney, including the review, negotiation, and drafting of contracts or participation in other transactional work.
Experience with client contact.
Experience in litigation, pleading, and motion-practice.
Some experience with government law practice or advising on federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Some knowledge of the legal subject matter involved with the department to which assignment will be made.

Assistant City Attorney IV

Four years of experience as a practicing civil or criminal attorney.
One year of government law practice or advising on federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Working knowledge of the legal subject matter involved with the department to which assignment will be made.
Experience in the practice of municipal law; the review, negotiation, and drafting of contracts or other primary responsibility for participation in transactional work.
Experience with significant client contact.
Primary responsibility for civil litigation and pleading and motion-practice.

Required of both positions

Juris Doctor from an accredited school of law and admission to the State Bar of Arizona (or from a state with Arizona bar reciprocity). Please include your Arizona State Bar license number on resume or cover letter.
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/10140.pdf).

Preferred Qualifications:
The minimum qualifications listed above, plus:

Experience with a Public Housing Authority organization and its operations.
Experience negotiating and drafting housing-related agreements, such as purchase and sale agreements, loan agreements, or subordination agreements, and associated declarations of affirmative land use or restrictive covenants, if any.
Experience with administrative hearings and eviction proceedings.
Experience working with the development community.
Experience working with legal-services contracts.