Closing Date: 28th November, 2024
Description:
Purpose of the PositionThe Assistant City Attorney position performs professional municipal legal services including code enforcement, ordinance drafting, negotiation and review of contracts, drafting transactional documents for real estate matters, and provides advice to departments, elected officials and their committees.
A Government Entity consists of 5 team members: the City Attorney, two Assistant City Attorneys, a Legal Secretary, and a Legal Assistant.
Information related to working for A Government Entity may be found in our Employee Handbook at the following link: https://www.wausauwi.gov/your-government/human-resources/employee-handbook-and-policies
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Interprets and researches laws, statutes, rules, regulations, codes and ordinances affecting City business. Provides legal advice and opinions on the effect of same on City business to City staff and elected officials.
- Reviews and recommends changes to municipal code for compliance with State and Federal laws, rules and regulations. Drafts ordinances and resolutions implementing City policies and programs. Researches enforceability of ordinance and resolutions and the effect of state and federal law on the same.
- Attends City committee meetings and advises members, including elected officials, regarding legal matters as needed.
- Represents the City in litigation matters, including but not limited to state courts (including court of appeals, if necessary), municipal court, administrative proceedings and before state and federal agencies. Litigation also includes legal issues including but not limited to ordinance prosecution, small claims (eviction and collection), defense of ordinance enforceability and related constitutional items.
- Reviews and evaluates cases and appeals; prepares legal briefs and other court pleadings, and represents the City's interests at bench and jury trials. Negotiates settlements.
- Directs timing and method of delinquent accounts collection with appropriate staff.
- Negotiates and drafts legal documents including but not limited to conveyances, leases, resolutions, contracts, and long-term agreements.
- Negotiates real estate sales and purchases. Reviews and drafts documents and conducts real estate transaction closings.
- Receives and responds to citizens' and media complaints and inquiries.
- Assigns work and directs Department support staff.
- Performs City Attorney tasks in his/her absence.
- Approves payment vouchers.
- Performs other legal responsibilities as assigned.
Additional Duties and Responsibilities:
- Photocopies documents; schedules meetings; proofreads documents, correspondence, etc.; answers telephone calls; and prepares forms and correspondence.
- Compiles data for committees.
- Performs various duties and special projects as assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
Education and Experience Requirements:
- Graduation from an accredited law school
- Admission to the Bar of the State of Wisconsin and current good standing status
- Two (2) or more years of legal experience
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to analyze data and information using established criteria, in order to determine consequences and to identify and select alternatives.
- Ability to compare, count, differentiate, measure and/or sort, as well as assemble, copy, record and transcribe data and information.
- Ability to classify, compute, tabulate, and categorize data.
- Ability to provide formal instruction in a classroom or other structured setting.
- Ability to utilize a variety of advisory and design data and information such as legal documents, citations, police reports, leases, payment vouchers, real estate documents, property tax statements, bankruptcy notices, financial statements, resolutions, ordinances, statutes, bond schedules, maps, law books, case law, real estate appraisals and educational curricula.
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing with attorneys, Judges, law enforcement personnel, elected City Officials, defendants, debtors, City employees, inspectors, news media representatives and the general public.
- Ability to calculate percentages, fractions, decimals, volumes and ratios. Ability to interpret basic descriptive statistical reports.
- Ability to use functional reasoning in performing influence functions such as supervising, managing, leading, teaching, directing and controlling.
- Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory and/or judgmental criteria.
- Ability to operate office equipment and machinery requiring simple but continuous adjustments, such as computer keyboard, telephone, calculator, fax machine and photocopier.
- Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing semi-skilled movements such as data entry.
- Ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, typically involving lifting.
- Ability to recognize and identify degrees of similarities or differences between characteristics of sounds associated with job-related objects, materials and tasks.
- Ability to perform basic functions with all MS Office Suite products.
- Normal office working conditions within minimal exposure to disagreeable elements.
- Normal mental and visual attention is required. Light physical demands to include bending, twisting, turning, and light lifting. Limited exposure to workplace hazards.