City Attorney

Closing Date: 31st October, 2025

Description:

General Description of Duties:
Under the direction of the Sebastian City Council, this position is responsible for serving as legal counsel for the City, including legal advisor to the City Council, commissions, boards, and City departments.

Essential Job Functions:

• Serves as legal counsel for the City, including legal advisor to the City Council, commissions, boards, and City departments.
• Represents the City in all civil forfeiture matters and requests for protection orders.
• Provides counsel and advice on both criminal and civil matters concerning the operations of the Department to the Chief of Police and staff.
• Prepares, reviews, and renders legal opinions.
• Drafts administrative regulations, contracts, ordinances, resolutions, deeds, leases, and quasi-judicial orders, along with other relevant legal documents.
• Attends all City Council meetings, and other advisory board meetings as directed.
• Works closely with the City's Police Department for pertinent cases.
• Remains current with developments in the legal field to ensure City policies, procedures, and practices, are consistent with local, state, and federal laws.
• Serves as legal consultant for workplace issues, providing interpretation and counsel, regarding employment/workplace law and Collective Bargaining Agreements.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

Emergency Declaration Status:
Essential employees may be required to work during an undeclared emergency and/or declared emergency. On an incident-by-incident basis, the employee's department head will make the determination as to who will be required to work.

Qualifications Education and Experience Guidelines
Education and Experience:

• Juris Doctor from an accredited institution; and seven (7) years of experience in municipal, county, or administrative law; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Possession of a valid, State of Florida driver's license to operate a motor vehicle. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of legal principles, precedents, and practices, particularly as they apply to the functions of local government.
• Knowledge of the principles of administrative and constitutional law.
• Knowledge of legal document preparation and legal terminology.
• Knowledge of Pertinent legal databases.
• Knowledge of workflow in the legal system.
• Knowledge of office administration practices, concepts, and automation applications.
• Knowledge of municipal code, directives, and procedures and of city services and operations.
• Knowledge and principles of customer service and telephone etiquette.
• Skill in public speaking.
• Skill in the use of computers and software/program applications, e.g., spreadsheet and word processing applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Skill in effective communication, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to analyze the legal aspects of governmental problems and provide sound advice and assistance to officials.
• Ability to present statements of fact, law, and argument clearly and persuasively.
• Ability to deal effectively with officials, the courts, and the public.
• Ability to interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for the City.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, co-workers, city personnel, and other public or outside agencies.
• Ability to accomplish multiple tasks in an efficient manner.
• Ability to complete assignments accurately and on a timely basis.
• Ability to think and act quickly, calmly, and accurately in emergency situations in accordance with departmental rules and regulations.
• Ability to understand and follow both oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently with multiple assignments.

Supplemental Information & ADA Items
ADA Compliance
The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Standing or Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Visual Acuity: Including color, depth perception, and field vision.

Work Environment:
Tasks are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions such as dirt, dust, pollen, wetness, humidity, fumes, temperature, and noise.

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