Description:
Duties and Responsibilities:
Division attorneys work closely, under the supervision of the Division's General Counsel, with the members of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, Harbor Department management and staff on a wide variety of legal matters pertaining to the operation of the Port. The selected candidate is expected to focus on litigation, both defensive and affirmative. The POLA Division routinely handles litigation and other matters arising in the following areas: real estate (including unlawful detainer and landlord-tenant litigation), insurance coverage under liability and other forms of specialized policies, employment and personnel matters, tort and contract claims not covered by insurance, and compliance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Air Act. While the selected candidate is expected to focus on litigation, they will also handle assignments involving other listed areas, depending on their skills and/or qualifications and the operational needs of the Division. Examples of these areas include:
Requirements:
Desired Qualifications:
Division attorneys work closely, under the supervision of the Division's General Counsel, with the members of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, Harbor Department management and staff on a wide variety of legal matters pertaining to the operation of the Port. The selected candidate is expected to focus on litigation, both defensive and affirmative. The POLA Division routinely handles litigation and other matters arising in the following areas: real estate (including unlawful detainer and landlord-tenant litigation), insurance coverage under liability and other forms of specialized policies, employment and personnel matters, tort and contract claims not covered by insurance, and compliance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Air Act. While the selected candidate is expected to focus on litigation, they will also handle assignments involving other listed areas, depending on their skills and/or qualifications and the operational needs of the Division. Examples of these areas include:
- Municipal governance, primarily pursuant to the State Tidelands Act, Coastal Act, Los Angeles Charter and Administrative Code, California Public Records Act, and Brown Act.
- Real Estate, typically relating to leasing the property the Port holds in trust for the State.
- Transactional/Contracting/Financial/Business, relative to real estate matters; service contracts, insurance and other agreements related to Department operations, and strategic commercial matters; tariffs setting rates and charges and operating rules for use of Harbor Department facilities; and revenue bonds.
- Regulatory/Environmental, in relation to CEQA, NEPA, Coastal Act, CERCLA, RCRA, and Clean Water Act, among other laws. This practice requires frequent work with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Department of Toxic Substance Control, California Air Resources Board, South Coast Air Quality Management, and US Army Corps of Engineers.
- Construction/Development, and advice and counsel on project formulation and implementation, construction bidding and contracts and disputes.
- Risk Management, including Workers' Compensation.
Requirements:
- Licensed to practice law in all courts in the State of California;
- Minimum five (5) years relevant legal experience in one or more of the above-listed expertise areas;
- Demonstrated experience and success in civil litigation, with particular emphasis in one or more of the following areas: insurance coverage and insurance coverage litigation; defense of employment claims; real estate and/or landlord-tenant litigation, and environmental litigation (may include CEQA, CERCLA, Clean Air Act or regulatory agency practice);
- Ability to deal effectively with their colleagues, public officials, non-attorney department personnel and members of the public.
Desired Qualifications:
- Strong written and oral communication skills;
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
