Description:
General Purpose:This position is responsible for the principal function of the City Attorney to serve as chief counsel for the City of Burlington. The City Attorney provides legal advice to the Mayor, City Council and City Staff on a wide range of issues. Responsibilities also include frequent consultation with municipal officials and preparation of legal opinions, ordinances, resolutions, and representation of the City in litigation. The City Attorney provides administrative oversight to all operations and activities of the City Attorney Office.
Union Affiliation: Non-Union
- Serves as the chief spokesperson for the City on all legal issues.
- Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates the work of legal staff in implementing the expressed goals, policies and directives of the City Attorney Office.
- Supervises work of all employees within the City Attorney Office, in coordination with the Senior Assistant Attorney.
- Oversees all legal functions within the City of Burlington, including training legal staff, providing advice on specific cases of a more difficult nature and addressing needed areas within the community.
- Develops policies and procedures designed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Departmental operations and address legal services within the City of Burlington.
- Develops and administers the Departmental budget.
- Provides legal services and represents the City of Burlington in related legal matters, including civil and criminal litigation before courts and administrative agencies.
- Prepares written and oral opinions on questions of law submitted by the Mayor, City Council and Department Heads.
- Prepares legal contracts, forms and other writings required for use by the City.
- Prepares resolutions and related communications to the City Council for action on specific items for consideration and action.
- Prepares ordinances, rules and regulations as requested by the City Council, Mayor and Department Heads.
- Reviews legal processes of Departmental staff to ensure appropriate pre-trial and trial strategies involving complex litigation, controversial claims and large tort and non-tort claims.
- Procures outside legal counsel on behalf of the City to address specific or specialized legal concerns and issues.
- Participates in various aspects of personnel administration within the Department, including hiring, termination, grievance procedures and coordinating employee training.
- Performs special projects for the Mayor and City Council as requested.
- Keeps Mayor and designated others fully and accurately informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems.
- Attends City Council meetings to provide legal, technical and administrative assistance on policy initiatives to City Council, Mayor and City Departments.
- Represents the City in legislative activities.
Non-essential Job Functions:
Performs other duties as required.
Qualifications/Basic Job Requirements
- Ability to actively support City diversity, equity, and cultural competency efforts within stated job responsibilities and work effectively across diverse cultures and constituencies.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as evidenced by ongoing trainings and professional development.
- A Juris Doctorate Degree and Admission to the Vermont State Bar including seven (7) years of extensive experience in legal practice is required. Public law practice experience preferred.
- Knowledge of civil and criminal law and current principles and practices of public administration.
- Knowledge of municipal law, torts, contracts, civil rights, administrative processes and property law.
- Knowledge of State and Federal statutes and regulations pertaining to municipal governments.
- Knowledge of collective bargaining practice and law.
- Knowledge of the principles, practices, methods, and procedures, materials and references utilized in legal research.
- Knowledge of legal office practices and procedures and of the duties and responsibilities of the City Attorney's Office.
- Knowledge of budgetary principles within a municipality.
- Ability to work under the supervision and direction of the Mayor and City Council with extensive leeway for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative.
- Skills in negotiation and persuasion in individuals and group settings.
- Ability to perform requires that an employee in this class establish and maintain effective working relationships with other City employees, the Mayor and the City Council, business and community groups, court representatives, State and Federal officials, representatives of the media and the public.
- Ability to provide administrative direction within a municipal department and supervise, train, evaluate and lead the work of others.
- Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing, using both technical and non-technical language.
- Ability to prepare and present accurate and reliable reports containing findings and recommendations.
- Ability to perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines.
- Ability to maintain integrity, ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.