Closing Date: 23rd November, 2026
Description:
Job Description:The City of Raleigh is seeking a devoted Summer Associate within the City Attorney's Office. This individual will be a current law student who is entering into either their 2L or 3L year of law school. The position will serve under the supervision of senior attorney staff within the office, and tasks will cover a broad range of legal services including memo writing, legal research, oral advocacy, and transactional work. The position is designed for a 10-week period and will terminate prior to the summer associate's re-entry into law school.
To be considered for this position a resume and cover letter must be attached.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
- Provides a broad range of legal services related to municipal operations, as directed by the City Attorney and summer associate supervisor
- Participates in problem-solving activities on a variety of City issues and takes on special projects at the direction of senior members of the legal staff
- Researches a variety of legal issues and writes briefs that can concisely and accurately convey the necessary findings and research
- Works with various City Departments providing legal advice and day-to-day departmental operating instructions
- Reviews processes and assists in the defense of claims made against the City, its officials, or employees
- Assists attorneys in litigating complex matters in State and Federal Court and before various agencies and quasi-judicial tribunals
Typical Qualifications:
Education:
- College degree from an accredited university or college
- At least one year of a juris doctor degree completed at an ABA accredited law school
Computer Skills:
- Savvy at using legal analytics and research tools (i.e. WestLaw, Lexis, FastCase, ECourts, etc.)
- Proficient in Microsoft Office tools (primarily Word, Teams, and Outlook); Adobe
Preferred Experience:
- Relevant local government experience is helpful but not required
- An interest in state and local government and public service
- There are both litigation-heavy and transactional roles within our office; ideally, a candidate is open to both types of work but can make preferences known as experience grows during the summer
Additional Information:
This job is classified as a temporary, part-time, at-will position within the Raleigh City Attorney's Office that automatically terminates at a predetermined time as agreed upon by the applicant and the City prior to the start of employment (based around law school fall semester start date). Employment is conditioned upon a background check and passed drug-test screening, per City of Raleigh employment policies.
ADA and Other Requirements:
Work Environment and Physical Effort:
Sedentary: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
Work Environment:
Work is typically performed in an office environment.
Work Exposures:
Work in this position does not require frequent environmental exposures.