Closing Date: 21st September, 2026
Description:
Job Information:The San Diego City Attorney's Office (https://www.sandiego.gov/cityattorney) protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego's elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City's prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, by holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 190 lawyers and approximately 230 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego.
The San Diego City Attorney's Office has an opening for the Assistant City Attorney in the Legislative Services & Community Protection Division (previously Council and Government Services Division). The Assistant will manage three units and work closely with the Assistant City Attorneys for Litigation, Administration, and Municipal Operations Division (previously Mayoral Operations). The position reports directly to the City Attorney and is a member of the City Attorney's Executive Team.
The Legislative Services & Community Protection Division has two distinct roles:
- The Division provides legal support to the City Council and independent City departments. The Assistant City Attorney (ACA) serves as the liaison for the Council Offices to the City Attorney's Office, works closely with the Council President's Office, and provides legal support during Council meetings. The Division serves as general counsel to the Housing Authority and advises numerous departments and offices, including the City Clerk, Independent Budget Analyst, City Auditor, Office of Government Affairs, Your Safe Place – the Family Justice Center, the Office of Boards and Commissions, Redistricting Commission, and the City's California Public Records Act administration. The ACA reviews and edits all ordinances and legal memoranda issued by the Division. The ACA may act for the City Attorney in her absence, sits at the dais with City Council to provide legal advice, and performs other related duties as assigned. The ACA also assists in developing training programs, leads or co-leads division-wide meetings, and has other managerial duties.
- The Division also houses the community protection work of the City Attorney's Office, civilly prosecuting cases on behalf of the People of the State of California to hold accountable those who commit crimes against public health and safety and who violate other local and state laws. The Division includes the Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement, which administers and enforces the City's labor standards ordinances and ensures employers and contractors comply with the law. It also includes the Housing Protection and Civil Code Enforcement Unit (HPU) dedicated to ensuring that housing in San Diego is safe, fair, and livable. HPU takes a focused approach to addressing persistent code violations, substandard rental housing conditions, unfair business practices, and situations where there may be a pattern or practice of violating the Residential Tenant Protections or the Short-Term Residential Occupancy Ordinance.
The position is unclassified, at-will, and serves at the pleasure of the City Attorney.
Example of Duties:
Responsibilities include:
- Overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Division;
- Supervising, training, and mentoring Division chiefs, deputy city attorneys, and the Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement team;
- Recruiting and hiring deputy city attorneys and staff;
- Providing procedural and strategic guidance and oversight to the Division chiefs and supervisors;
- Communicating with Mayor, Councilmembers, and City leadership and serving as the primary contact for Councilmembers and their staff;
- Supporting the Council President's Office, City Clerk's Office, and deputy city attorneys with Council-related matters;
- Overseeing weekly docket meetings and closed session docketing to review items on the City Council agenda;
- Sitting with the City Council during open session meetings;
- Drafting and implementing policies and procedures for the Division;
- Assigning, monitoring, and evaluating legal service requests from Council offices and departments covered by the Division;
- Assisting with media responses;
- Attending weekly Executive Team meetings; and
- Performing other duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
Applicants are required to:
- Be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California with experience in municipal law and working with government officials.
- Licensed to practice law in the State of California.
- Licensed to practice law or willing to obtain a license in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
- Possess strong analytical, research, writing, and oral presentation skills; be a practical problem-solver and team player; have good time management skills; and demonstrate effective communication and conflict resolution skills.
The ideal candidate will have ten or more years of experience as a licensed attorney, proven managerial experience, some civil litigation experience, strong references, and experience working with municipalities and elected officials. Attorneys in this position must be able to travel to locations outside the office for legal proceedings or meetings. Therefore, possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and personal vehicle, or the ability to travel to various locations throughout the City in a timely manner, is required.
Supplemental Information:
Work-life balance is important to the City Attorney's Office. The Office generally supports telework and the position may allow for a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-office and remote work after the introductory period. Please refer to the Office's teleworking policy.
Compensation and Benefits:
The successful candidate's annual salary will be based on qualifications and level of relevant experience.
In addition to a competitive salary, the City of San Diego offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Participation in the City's Flexible Benefits Plan, which offers several optional benefit plans or a taxable cash option.
- $50,000 in City-paid life insurance.
- Flexible Spending Accounts.
- Paid annual leave (paid time off) accruing at 22 days per year for the 1st through 15th year of service.
- San Diego City Employees' Retirement System (SDCERS) defined benefit (pension) plan.
- Voluntary Defined Contribution Plans (401(k)/457(b)).
- Retiree Medical Trust Plan.
- Holidays – Eleven paid holidays are provided annually and one Floating Holiday in a fiscal year.
- Long-Term Disability Income Plan.
Other Miscellaneous Benefits:
- Free MTS transit pass.
- City-awarded discretionary leave (paid time off).
- 80 hours of paid Management Administrative Leave.
- Up to 8 weeks of paid Parental Leave.
- Paid time off for jury duty.
- Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave each fiscal year.
- Employee Assistance Program.
To learn more about employee benefits, please review the Benefits Summary for Unclassified Employees (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/benefits-summary-unrepresented.pdf) (Download PDF reader) (https://get.adobe.com/reader/). Some benefits currently offered to employees may be modified in the future.
For further information, please contact the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-6600. Retirement benefits for this unclassified, unrepresented position will depend on the candidate's eligibility status (new hire, rehire, etc.).
Pre-Employment Requirements:
Employment offers will be conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to the position, which may include the following:
- Proof of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States.
- Reference checks.
- Fingerprint checks: fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for an arrest and conviction record report.
- Additional screening processes such as a background investigation.
All these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. Misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. The City of San Diego is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace.
How to Apply:
The San Diego City Attorney's Office accepts online applications (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sandiegoattorney). To apply, select the position title of the job opportunity and click the "Apply" link. If you need assistance, please refer to our online employment application guide. (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sandiegoattorney/helpandsupport/applicationguide)
To be considered for this position, applicants will need to submit the following by the closing date:
- San Diego City Attorney employment application, including responses to the supplemental questions.
- Cover letter and resume.
- A writing sample (no more than 5 pages; can be an excerpt of a document) that demonstrates their legal writing skills and reflects their own original work pro
Similar Jobs
