About the position
The City of Pasadena is seeking capable, energetic and strategic attorneys with sound independent judgment to join our team of dynamic legal professionals. There are currently three Deputy City Attorney vacancies in the Civil Division of the City Attorney/City Prosecutor's Department. For two of the vacancies, the ideal candidate will have experience in general municipal civil litigation, which is preferred. Tort litigation, law enforcement, employment and/or civil rights, is helpful. Experience in advisory and transactional municipal legal services, such as drafting contracts, ordinances, resolutions, and legal opinions is also desirable, as well as experience in the areas of land use, state housing and environmental laws, open meeting laws, conflicts of interest, personnel matters, and/or public contracting. For the third vacancy, the position will be dedicated to providing legal services to the Rental Housing Board and the Rent Stabilization Department, which were formed through a Charter amendment passed by Pasadena voters in November 2022. The ideal candidate will have experience in serving as a legal advisor and counsel to rental housing boards or other similar public bodies holding administrative hearings, which is strongly preferred. Experience in advisory and transactional municipal legal service, such as drafting transactional documents is helpful, as well as experience in the areas of rent stabilization, landlord-tenant, housing, open meeting, conflicts of interest, and judicial and administrative procedure and rules of evidence.
Responsibilities
- Participates in all phases of trial and appellate levels of civil litigation in state and federal court, and before administrative bodies.
- Performs a wide range of legal services in one or more areas of municipal law on behalf of City officials, departments, advisory bodies, boards and commissions.
- Confers with and advises City departments, advisory boards and administrative commissions concerning their respective duties, powers, functions and obligations.
- Attends meetings of the City Council, boards or commissions as needed.
- Drafts, reviews and amends various legal documents including ordinances, resolutions, contracts, leases, opinion letters, legal memoranda, ordinance fact sheets and agenda reports.
- Completes varied assignments within a narrow timeframe.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Graduation from a recognized law school (ABA accreditation preferred) and membership in good standing in the California State Bar Association.
- At least three years of professional experience as a practicing attorney.
- Experience in general municipal civil litigation is preferred; law enforcement, civil rights, and/or tort litigation is helpful; experience in advisory and transactional municipal legal services, such as drafting contracts, ordinances, resolutions, and legal opinions is also desirable.
- For the Rental Housing Board/Rent Stabilization department attorney, experience advising rental housing boards or similar public bodies is strongly preferred.
Benefits
- At-will employment
- Confidential position
- Possession of or ability to obtain a Class C California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record.
