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Job Description

ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY I

(Non-classified)

JOB CODE 10110

Effective Date:	12/92X

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The fundamental reason this classification exists is to provide professional legal work of a civil or criminal nature involving legal research, jury and court trials and appeals. This class works with an experienced attorney in researching the law and revealing the evidence on cases where procedures and precedents are well established. Incumbents of this class observe and participate in trial preparation and trials under observation of a senior attorney, until they are able to do so properly without assistance. Some positions work on the development of codes and ordinances, on the legal problems of City departments or on the aspects of more complex cases to which the City is a party and are given extensive orientation in criminal prosecution activities and the various components of the criminal justice systems. Some assignments include mandatory coverage of custodial arraignment court on a rotating basis involving weekends and/or holiday duty approximately three times per year. Work is reviewed upon completion by a supervisor in trial work for successful manner of presentation and proper observance of all legal and court procedures.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Prosecutes traffic violations, zoning violations and comparable cases in the City courts in which jury trials or strong contests are not involved;
• Prepares cases for trial, examining law and evidence subject to review and assistance by a supervisor;
• Interviews police officers, inspectors or other parties presenting evidence for the City to ascertain that evidence is complete and will be well presented in court;
• Discusses case results with supervisors;
• Reviews complaints to determine whether or not there are sufficient grounds to bring suit under City ordinance or under State law;
• Studies City, State, Federal and general municipal law for information and precedence bearing on City legal problems;
• Drafts initial alternative proposals for solutions of such problems for review by supervisors;
• Discusses enforcement problems in cases with patrol officers, building inspectors, zoning inspectors, and others to determine enforcement difficulties under existing law and to recommend improvements in wording and procedures;
• Prepares legal opinions, memoranda, and data;
• Prepares briefs for presentation to guardian suits;
• Prepares and compiles proposed ordinances and resolutions and proposed amendments to existing ordinances;
• Reviews reports requesting criminal prosecution submitted by both police and non-police agencies;
• Reviews requests for revocation of probation petitions;
• Reviews cases for pre-trial negotiation, attends pre-trial disposition conferences;
• Prepares cases for trial including subpoening and interviewing of witnesses;
• Engages in pretrial motion practices;
• Prosecutes jury and non-jury cases, including major traffic and criminal matters;
• Tries minor traffic cases to the court;
• Handles probation revocation hearings;
• Provides statistical data concerning disposition of cases;
• Handles the research, writing and oral arguments of post-trial motions in the Phoenix Municipal Court;
• Initiates and defends appeals to the Superior Court;
• Researches, writes and argues appeals to the Appellate Courts and Federal Courts;
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Principles of civil and criminal law and the methods and practices of pleadings.
• Judicial procedures and of the rules or evidence.
• Principles, methods, materials, practices and references utilized in legal research.

Ability to:

• Communicate orally in the English language with clients, judges, other agencies and members of the public by telephone or one-on-one or group setting.
• Analyze, appraise and organize facts, evidence and precedents to ascertain the determining aspects of cases and to present such material in a clear and logical form.
• Determine alternative courses of action and the impacts of such courses of action and to recommend choices.
• Determine the possible course of action of opponents and to judge their probable courses of action.
• Present and argue cases in court and to handle unanticipated problems smoothly.
• Produce written documents in the English language with clearly organized thoughts using proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
• Exercise sound judgment.
• Work cooperatively with others.
• Work weekends and/or holidays.
• Work safely without presenting a direct threat to self or others.

Additional Requirements:

• Admission to the bar of the State of Arizona.
• Some positions require the use of personal or City vehicles on City business. Individuals must be physically capable of operating the vehicles safely, possess a valid driver's license and have an acceptable driving record. Use of a personal vehicle for City business will be prohibited if the employee is not authorized to drive a City vehicle or if the employee does not have personal insurance coverage.
• Some positions will require the performance of other essential or marginal functions depending upon work assignment, location, or shift.

ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
Graduation from an accredited school of law. Other combinations of education and experience which meet the minimum qualifications may be substituted.