Job Description

CITY ATTORNEY

(Non-classified)

JOB CODE 10190

Effective Date:	12/92A

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The fundamental reason this classification exists is to direct all Civil and Criminal work of the City and plan and develop an adequate program in relation to municipal activities. The employee in this class is the legal advisor of the City Council, Mayor, City Manager, and department heads. Duties require the exercise of extensive independent judgment as the ultimate legal authority for the City. Supervision is performed in accordance with general policies of the City Council and City Manager and the accepted standards and practices of the legal profession. Work is performed under the general supervision of the City Manager.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Supervises through key employees the work performed in the Office of the City Attorney;
• Renders oral and written opinions to the City Council, Mayor, City Manager, department heads, and other City officials;
• Attends City Council meetings and conferences for the purpose of learning policies underlying official action, and gives advice on legal questions involved, including advice as to alternative legal and administrative approaches to the solution of major City problems;
• Plans and supervises the work of professional staff;
• Supervises the preparation and trial of important cases;
• Represents the City in all courts;
• Reviews information to keep informed of proposed state and federal legislation affecting the City;
• Prepares and approves proposed ordinances for final consideration by the City Council;
• 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:

• City Code, charter provisions, and state law with particular reference to municipal legal provisions and municipal law.
• Judicial procedure, rules of civil and criminal procedure, and rules of evidence.
• Principles and practices of personnel management and supervision.

Ability to:

• Work cooperatively with other employees, customers, clients, and the public.
• Produce documents written in the English language using proper sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, and spelling.
• Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others.
• Review and check the work of others to ensure accuracy.
• Organize, interpret, and apply legal principles to complex legal problems.
• Comprehend and make inferences from material written in the English language.
• Communicate orally in the English language with customers, clients, and the public using a telephone and in group and face-to-face, one-to-one settings.

Additional Requirements:

• Some positions will require the performance of other essential and marginal functions depending upon work location, assignment, or shift.
• Admission to the State Bar of Arizona.

ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
Five years of experience as a practicing attorney performing high level legal and trial work (equivalent to an Assistant City Attorney IV) and graduation from an accredited school of law. Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.