Description:
Description:Are you looking for a legal position where your work directly impacts the community you serve? Are you a practical, solutions-oriented attorney who enjoys variety - and is ready to leave billable hours and timekeeping behind?
The City of Springfield is seeking an Assistant City Attorney to provide legal counsel to City departments, boards, and commissions. This is a challenging and rewarding opportunity for an attorney who enjoys learning new areas of law, solving real-world problems, and building strong, collaborative relationships with clients.
The successful candidate will be an integral member of the City's Law Department, working closely with the City Attorney, other attorneys, and City leadership. The Assistant City Attorney provides timely, consistent legal guidance, communicating clearly and with appropriate context and rationale. This role requires legal analysis that identifies viable options within the law and helps departments move forward while managing risk.
Core responsibilities include advising City departments; conducting legal research; and drafting, reviewing, and providing unambiguous, well-reasoned written guidance, including legal opinions, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and memoranda. The position also involves proactively identifying legal and operational risks, advising departments early, and helping them navigate complex or novel issues before they escalate.
The successful candidate will demonstrate professionalism, ethical representation, sound judgment, and credibility, consistently producing work that is clear, practical, and reliable.
Depending on qualifications and experience, this position may be filled at any level (Assistant City Attorney III-V; please see "Functions" below for additional information).
Application Deadline:
Applications received by Friday, February 13, 2026 are guaranteed full consideration. Applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.
About the Law Department
The City of Springfield Law Department is a full-service, in-house legal office comprised of 14 attorneys (including four full-time prosecutors) and nine support staff. The department serves as legal counsel to City Council, boards and commissions, and City departments, providing practical, timely legal advice across a wide range of municipal matters. For more information about the Law Department, click here.
Benefits:
City of Springfield employees enjoy a competitive benefits package, including:
- Employee health coverage at no cost
- Generous paid leave
- A LAGERS pension provided at no cost
- Life, dental, and cafeteria plan options
- To read further about the City's benefits, click here.
Qualifications and Requirements:
The minimum requirements for an Assistant City Attorney V are provided below.
- Graduation from an accredited law school;
- And
- Ten years of law experience;
Licensing/Certification:
Must be licensed to practice law by the State of Missouri, or have the ability to obtain licensure within one year of employment.
The minimum requirements for an Assistant City Attorney IV are provided below.
- Graduation from an accredited law school;
- And
- Eight years of legal experience.
Licensing/Certification:
Must be licensed to practice law by the State of Missouri.
The minimum requirements for an Assistant City Attorney III are provided below.
- Graduation from an accredited law school;
- And
- Five years of experience in the practice of law.
Licensing/Certification:
Must be licensed to practice law by the State of Missouri.
Functions:
For more information on essential functions and other requirements for the various Assistant City Attorney positions, please see the job descriptions below.
- Assistant City Attorney V (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/springfieldmo/classspecs/1197979)
- Salary: $89,960.00 - $157,102.40
- Assistant City Attorney IV (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/springfieldmo/classspecs/1265232)
- Salary: $76,065.60 - $132,828.80
- Assistant City Attorney III (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/springfieldmo/classspecs/1245979)
- Salary: $70,803.20 - $123,697.60
Other Requirements:
The City of Springfield promotes equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or other legally protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.
Individuals with disabilities who believe they will need an accommodation to undergo any part of the interview, examination, or pre-employment process, should request a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to the testing or appointment. Requests should be requested by contacting City of Springfield Human Resources by phone, 417-864-1607, or in person at the Municipal Busch Building, 840 Boonville Ave. Springfield, MO 65802.
Proof of United States Citizenship/Authorization to Work in the United States as established by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 is a condition of employment. We are committed to a drug-free workplace. Pre-employment drug testing is required.
All interested candidates MUST complete the City of Springfield on-line application in its entirety. The candidate profile must include all employment history with accurate and complete information prior to submission. Resumes alone will not be accepted as the application, but they may be submitted as supplemental documentation.