Deputy City Attorney - Municipal/Land Use

A Government Entity

  • Portland, OR
  • 3 Years
  • Full Time
  • 2026-00363
  • 132,891 - 187,470 / Yearly
  • Not Specified
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Closing Date: 11th May, 2026

Description:

The Position:
Job Appointment: Full-Time, At Will.

This position is exempt from Civil Service and is an "At Will" position. It serves at the discretion of the hiring authority, subject to the City of Portland Human Resources Administrative Rules and the Portland City Charter and Code.

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8 am-5 pm. An alternate schedule may be available.

Work Location: 1221 SW 4TH AVE, PORTLAND OR 97204

Benefits: Please check our benefit tab for an overview of benefits for this position.

Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.

Union Representation: This classification was recently recognized as represented by AFSCME-189. Terms and Conditions are currently being negotiated. To view labor agreements, current and future, please visit the Current City Labor Agreements page.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland's online portal. You will need to attach a resume, cover letter, and a supplemental attachment.

Position Summary:
The Portland City Attorney's Office seeks a motivated and engaged municipal generalist to join our team and advise Council and City bureaus/departments on significant policies, projects, and contracts. The ideal candidate will have experience in land use law or advising local governments. The right candidate will bring strong initiative, a solid work ethic, and a genuine enthusiasm for public service and creative problem-solving.

The selected candidate will work as part of a team providing legal services to the City, with land use advice and advocacy expected to be a significant component of their work. The candidate must be comfortable working both independently and as part of a team in niche or novel areas of law. This Deputy City Attorney does not need to be an experienced litigator, although some knowledge and experience with litigation or appellate writing will prove beneficial for the position. This position requires close, ongoing collaboration with staff, management, and elected officials.

Our practice involves a wide range of complex, interesting, and evolving issues in municipal and land use law. The work is both challenging and rewarding, requiring thoughtful analysis, exemplary research and writing skills, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate nuanced legal and policy questions.

The City of Portland requires candidates to be committed to racial equity as applied to legal analysis, policy, and institutional systems.

Virtual Zoom Meet & Greet Opportunity

Come meet the hiring manager and the senior recruiter! We'll be talking about the position duties and responsibilities, day to day life in the role, review the announcement, discuss how to apply, and answer questions you may have about the position.

Monday, May 4, 2026
1:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1RM72bnaTCepy1MDz7FCjg#/registration

Have a question?

Contact Information:
Tamela Ressler, Senior Recruiter

Bureau of Human Resources

Tamela.Ressler@portlandoregon.gov

To Qualify:
The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:
  • A minimum of 3 years' experience as a licensed attorney, including in the areas of municipal or land use law, or other combination of experience demonstrating a capacity to perform the essential functions of the position
  • A Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited law school; AND
  • Oregon State Bar Membership, in good standing, or membership in good standing in the Bar of another jurisdiction, with the ability to obtain Oregon State Bar Membership.

An ideal candidate will have:
  • Experienced in/knowledge of Oregon land use law, including experience at the Land Use Board of Appeals.
  • Experienced in advising local governments. Demonstration of familiarity with local government law.
  • Excellent communicator, including both in writing and orally.
  • Proficiency in time and case management.
  • Eager to learn and take ownership of their work.
  • Proactive and reliable contributor.
  • Enthusiastic about tackling complex problems with creativity and practical solutions.
  • Comfortable working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.

The Recruitment Process
Applicant Instructions:
In your application, include your Resume, Cover Letter, and a Supplemental Attachment in accordance with the following instructions:
  • Cover Letter: Competitive candidates will provide details in their cover letter addressing current practice areas and how their experience aligns with the duties listed in the above position description.
  • Resume: Your resume should support the details described in your cover letter and include all experience that is directly related and equivalent to the position. Note: Do not include your age, date of birth, or the dates you attended or graduated from school. Only provide this information if it is specifically requested to meet job requirements or to follow federal, state, or local laws or rules.
  • Supplemental Attachment: In addition to the cover letter and resume, submit a separate statement in approximately 500 words or less describing:
  • Your experiences or participation with one or more of the following, and What you learned:
    • Experiences living, working, and/or interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds and identities.
    • Situations in which you have taken action to address or help resolve unlawful discrimination, racial inequities, and other disparities based on protected class status.
    • Steps you have taken to make workplaces and/or public spaces more inclusive and welcoming for all persons.
    • Advocacy or support to all communities, including those that may be underrepresented in their participation of government decision-making.

If you share the City's commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, civil rights, racial justice, environmental justice, equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and your experiences are different from those listed above, please explain how you have and would demonstrate your efforts to align with these important and core City values.

Optional Application Materials

Requesting Veteran's Preference

If you wish to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your veteran documents (e.g., DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter) by the recruitment's closing date.
  • Effective January 1, 2026, the State of Oregon law ORS 408.225 - 408.238 is amended to expand eligibility for Veterans' Preference to current and former Oregon National Guard service members. If applicants are existing state or former Oregon National Guard servicemembers, they are encouraged to attach appropriate documentation to their applications.
  • Your veteran preference from prior applications with the City of Portland will carry over to future applications. If you need to update or remove your veteran preference for a specific recruitment or from your master profile, please contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

Application Tips:
  • Your cover letter can exceed one page, to ensure you are able to provide the detailed information for every qualification. A subject matter expert will evaluate your application to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
  • How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
  • Do not attach any additional documents.

Recruitment Timeline:
Step 1: Apply online between Monday, April 27 – Monday, May 11, 2026
  • Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
  • All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process.
  • E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.

Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: May 12 – May 15, 2026