Assistant City Attorney (Civil Litigation Division)

The San Diego City Attorney's Office 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 San Diego City Attorney’s Office has an opening for the Assistant City Attorney of the Civil Litigation Division. The position reports directly to the City Attorney and is a member of the City Attorney’s Executive Team.

The Civil Litigation Division generally prosecutes and defends all lawsuits and cases to which the City is a party. Under the direction of the Assistant City Attorney, the Civil Litigation Division participates in all stages of litigation, including trials and appeals, on behalf of the City in state and federal courts.

The Division also presents cases and settlement proposals to the Mayor and City Council in closed session meetings with the City Council, and works closely with City departments and leadership to address risks, adopt mitigation measures, and resolve legal disputes.

The Division’s workload includes police false arrest and excessive force cases, personal injury cases, property damage cases, dangerous condition cases, motor vehicle accidents, indemnity claims, claims related to funding and revenue sources such as City taxes and fees, constitutional claims, and cases challenging the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Brown Act, California Environmental Quality Act, City land use decisions, and the California Public Records Act. The Division also handles the City’s employment cases alleging discrimination, retaliation, harassment, or unpaid wages, and proceedings before the Civil Service Commission or Cal OSHA.

The position is unclassified, at-will, and serves at the pleasure of the City Attorney.

Responsibilities include

• Overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Division;
• Assigning, monitoring, and evaluating cases;
• Supervising, training, and mentoring Division chiefs and deputy city attorneys;
• Recruiting and hiring deputy city attorneys;
• Coordinating outside counsel on selected litigation matters;
• Providing procedural and strategic guidance and oversight to the Division chiefs and supervisors;
• Drafting and implementing policies and procedures for the Division;
• Communicating with Mayor, Councilmembers, and City leadership;
• Advocating for and assisting with legislation related to the Division;
• Overseeing closed session practice group, Settlement Advisory Group, and closed session meetings of City Council;
• Appearing before the City Council, Council committees, and community groups on matters related to the Division;
• Assisting with media responses;
• Attending weekly Executive Team meetings;
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Applicants are required to

• Be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California with a background in civil litigation, government legal defense, writs, and appeals.
• Licensed to practice law in the State of California.
• Licensed to practice law or willing to obtain a license in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
• Possess strong analytical, research, writing, and oral presentation skills; be a practical problem-solver and team player; have good time management skills; and demonstrate effective communication and conflict resolution skills.

The ideal candidate will have ten or more years of experience as a licensed attorney, significant trial experience, proven managerial experience, strong references, and experience working with municipalities and elected officials.

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.Work-life balance is important to the City Attorney’s Office.

The Office generally supports telework and the position may allow for a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-office and remote work after the introductory period. Please refer to the Office's teleworking policy.

Compensation and Benefits

The successful candidate’s annual salary will be based on qualifications and level of relevant experience.

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)).
• Retiree Medical Trust Plan.
• 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).
• 80 hours of paid Management Administrative Leave.
• Up to 8 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 employee benefits, please review the Benefits Summary for Unclassified Employees. 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, unrepresented position will depend on the candidate's eligibility status (new hire, rehire, etc.).

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Employment offers will be conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to the position, which may include 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 an arrest and 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. 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.

To be considered for this position, applicants will need to submit the following by the closing date:

• San Diego City Attorney employment application, including responses to the 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.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: The San Diego City Attorney's Office is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It is vitally important to the Office that, as public servants, we represent the community we serve. To that end, the Office strongly encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply.

In furtherance of the Office’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Office has an active Committee for Diversity & Inclusion and Racial Equity Task Force.