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Job Description

CHIEF COUNSEL

(Non-classified)

JOB CODE 10200

Effective Date:	12/92A

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The fundamental reason this classification exists is to supervise and manage the activities of the Law Department's Civil Division. Work involves supervising the representation of the City before outside administrative and legal agencies, drafting revisions of the City Charter and proposed legislation, and providing assistance to the City's top management in the development of policies and procedures. Work is reviewed and evaluated by the Chief Assistant City Attorney on the basis of results.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Plans, organizes, directs, implements, and seeks alternative approaches to Civil Litigation activities;
• Supervises the operation of the Civil division in the City Attorney's office and assigns Assistant City Attorneys to case preparation, legislative analysis, and other special projects;
• Reviews reports received from supervising attorneys and follows up on unusual or critical items;
• Gives oral and written advice to the Mayor and City Council, City Manager, other City officials, and department heads on all matters pertaining to law which does, or may, involve the City of Phoenix;
• Selects and trains new attorneys through key subordinates and evaluates their performance for future assignments;
• Renders oral and written opinions on the legal implications of City activities;
• 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 Charter and State and Federal constitutional provisions.
• City Codes and State Statutes, with particular emphasis on Municipal Law.
• Functions and legal limitations on the authority of City departments.
• Principles and practices of personnel management and supervision.
• Principles of civil law.

Ability to:

• Analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and precedents and presents them in oral and written reports.
• Determine alternative approaches to problems and recommend a balanced use of legal and administrative approaches in resolving problems.
• 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.
• Comprehend and make inferences from written material.
• Exercise judgment and discretion.
• Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others.
• 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:
Four years of experience as a practicing civil attorney, including two years of experience in the practice of municipal law (or two years as an Assistant City Attorney III), and graduation from an accredited school of law. Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.