Closing Date: 30th October, 2026

Description:

Job Information:
See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

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, 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 Civil Advisory Division (https://www.sandiego.gov/cityattorney/divisions/advisory) of the San Diego City Attorney's Office is recruiting to fill a Chief Deputy City Attorney position in the Gun Violence Reduction Unit (GVRU) The Chief Deputy will report to Assistant City Attorney Michelle Garland.

The GVRU handles the San Diego City Attorney's nationally recognized Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) program, petitions to destroy firearms, and oversees the San Diego Countywide Gun Relinquishment Task Force. The GVRU represents and regularly provides training to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD). In the course of their work, Deputies in the GVRU may also be called upon to handle matters involving First, Second, and Fourth Amendment issues, Public Records Act requests, media inquiries, or other gun violence-related legal issues. The Unit also provides technical assistance regarding GVRO administration and implementation to various organizations upon request.

The Chief Deputy oversees all Unit operations, coordinates with the Police Department, and directly supervises the attorneys assigned to the Unit. The Chief Deputy also supervises a program manager with various duties including grant management and data collection. The Chief Deputy is expected to hold and attend regular meetings, monitor workloads and performance, draft performance evaluations, submit quarterly Unit reports, and communicate all necessary information to the Assistant City Attorney. In addition to supervisory responsibilities, the Chief is expected to carry a GVRO and firearms petition case load, appear in court, and assist with search warrant and on-call duties. The Chief will also assist the San Diego Countywide Gun Relinquishment Task Force as needed, serve as the primary point of contact for all training or technical assistance requests from outside agencies, and periodically represent the Office at community and stakeholder events.

The primary work location for this assignment is 9275 Sky Park Court, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92123. A temporary workspace is available at Civic Center Plaza, 1200 Third Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101, when assigned to appear in court.

Example of Duties:
Deputies in the Gun Violence Response Unit routinely:

Regularly appear in court to represent SDPD during the petition process.
Represent the City of San Diego in any GVRO appellate cases.
Work collaboratively with SDPD GVRU for the resolution of GVROs and other firearm related issues.
Thoroughly respond to SDPD questions with legal accuracy.
Participate in client meetings and train SDPD on GVRU process and legal issues.
Attend community meetings, providing information and education about the GVRU as appropriate.
Exercise practical problem solving and initiative to improve the City's gun violence reduction program.
Work effectively and cooperatively as part of a team, as well as complete assignments autonomously.
Maintain high ethical standards, demonstrating integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness.
Review and draft suggested SDPD and City Attorney Policies and Procedures related to restraining orders.
Handle on-call inquiries related to GVROs and search warrants.
Draft and review for legal sufficiency search warrants for the seizure of firearms and related prohibited items.
The Chief Deputy will also perform supervisory duties as described above.

Minimum Requirements:
Applicants are required to:

Be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California;
Minimum three years of municipal law or other public law experience in California;
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;
Prior civil or criminal trial, motion, or other courtroom advocacy experience.

The ideal candidate will possess:

Strong leadership skills.
Strong courtroom and advocacy skills.
Experience working with municipalities or partner law enforcement agencies.
Knowledge of federal, state and local firearms regulations.
Experience or understanding of filing civil petitions such as GVROs, other types of restraining orders, petitions to destroy firearms, other types of civil proceedings, or appellate work.
High level of comfort communicating with law enforcement officers, respondents, witnesses, victims, judges, and opposing counsel.
Knowledge of search warrant law including drafting and reviewing search warrants. The Chief Deputy is required to maintain a rotating, on-call, after-hours schedule for search warrant review or other emergency matters.

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:
Notes:

The following wage increases are scheduled to effect for Deputy City Attorneys:
A 3.5% general wage increase will be effective July 1, 2027.
A 2% general wage increase will be effective July 1, 2028.
A 2% general wage increase will be effective January 1, 2029.

Work-life balance is important to us! The City Attorney's Office generally supports remote teleworking and the position may allow for a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-office and remote work after the introductory and probationary period. Please refer to the Office's teleworking policy.

Compensation and Benefits: The successful candidate's annual salary is based on the Deputy City Attorney salary table and dependent on qualifications and level of relevant legal experience. For further salary information, refer to the Deputy City Attorney Salary Table (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/dca-salary-table.pdf) (Download PDF reader). (https://get.adobe.com/reader/)

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)).
Post-Employment Health Reimbursement Account (PEHRA).
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).
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 all the employee benefits, please review the Benefits Summary for DCAA Employees (Download PDF 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 position depend on the candidate's eligible status (new hire, rehire, etc.).

Pre-Employment Requirements:
Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this job, which may include but are not limited to 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 a 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.

H