Closing Date: 30th November, 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, 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 Civil Litigation Division (https://www.sandiego.gov/cityattorney/divisions/civillitigation/genlitigation) of the San Diego City Attorney's Office is seeking applications from attorneys who are interested in a position as a Deputy City Attorney, focusing on Federal Litigation. This position reports to the Assistant City Attorney and is responsible for a broad range of duties including prosecuting or defending federal civil lawsuits in which the City is a party and that impact the well-being of San Diego residents.

Examples of recent matters handled by our Division are challenging the termination, freezing, and conditions placed on federal funding; preparing and supporting high-impact amicus curiae briefs related to immigration, voting, civil rights, and reproductive rights; and participating in the federal rule-making process on new regulations and policies that threaten the constitutional rights or statutory rights of San Diegans.

Example of Duties:
Duties for this position may include the following:

Complex litigation to challenge federal overreach and unconstitutional actions, including researching novel claims as well as preparing drafts of pleadings, motions, and supporting evidence.
Appear regularly in federal courts.
Collaborate and coordinate with numerous other public agencies and nonprofit organizations in joint investigations and litigation to proactively enforce laws and safeguard communities' rights.
Present updates on sensitive, high-profile litigation matters and provide confidential legal counsel to San Diego's Mayor and members of the City Council in Closed Session.
Supervise the work of paralegals, investigators, and other professionals.
Perform other work as assigned.

Deputy City Attorneys must become familiar with City operations to identify and address legal issues in a proactive manner, and continually manage and adjust their workload to accommodate changing needs and priorities.

Minimum Requirements:
Applicants are required to:

Be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California.
Have at least two years of civil litigation experience.
Possess experience with all pretrial phases of litigation including discovery and trial preparation.
Possess strong research, legal writing, and oral presentation skills.

Ideal candidates will have experience in joint prosecution or task force investigations. A background in complex litigation such as multi-jurisdictional proceedings or class actions is also highly desirable.

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://www.sandiego.gov/cityattorney/divisions/civillitigation/genlitigation)

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 eight 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 (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/benefits-summary-dcaa.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 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.

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 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 product.

Following the closing date, resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. If a job has an extended deadline, applications will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached. The interview process may be used to fill additional, future vacancies.

Individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. If an applicant has questions or concerns related to the recruitment process or needs accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, contact (619) 533-5811. The City of San Diego has an active Equal Opportunity/ADA Program for employment and strongly supports diversity in the workplace.

Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego.