City Attorney

Overview


The City Attorney serves as legal counsel and advisor regarding legal, legislative and regulatory matters for the City. Plans, directs, manages, and oversees the activities and operations of the City Attorney's Office as department head. Coordinates assigned activities with City Manager, Mayor and City Council, departments, and boards and commissions. Communicate policies, implement policy and legal strategy, recommend legal policies, tactics, and strategies. Responsibilities and duties of the City Attorney are stated in Article IV, Section 10 of the City Charter. Provided in greater detail in the functions section below.


Responsibilities
• Reviews and presents legal opinions, legal advice and counsel to Mayor and City Council, City Manager, department heads, officers, boards and commissions, and other City staff in official capacity, on municipal activities to ensure compliance with the City Charter, local, state and federal laws.
• Reviews and provides legal guidance on ordinances for City Council meetings, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Performs legal duties as directed or requested by the City Council or as required to resolve legal issues involving the City of Corpus Christi.
• Provide options to ensure that executive level management and City Council can achieve their goals in a legal, efficient, and effective manner.
• Communicate wise, reasoned, judicious, prudent, and creative legal advice in a manner that enables and encourages management, Council, and board members to apply this advice to City operations.
• Attends City Council meetings and takes necessary action regarding Council agenda items.
• Be trustworthy, loyal, prudent, dependable, available, and competent in all legal matters.
• Analyze legal issues and determine the law by reviewing statutes, regulations, cases, law reviews, and other legal research using books, publications, the internet, electronic legal services and consulting with others.
• Develop and implement an advanced understanding of structure of state and federal law to determine whether other attorneys in the Legal Department are effectively and accurately applying laws to issues.
• Directly performs or oversees research, drafts, reviews and approval of all documents, contracts and legal work on behalf of the City.
• Acts as official departmental representative to other City departments, City Manager's Office, elected officials, and outside agencies.
• Explains, justifies, and defends department programs, policies, and activities. Advises or represents officers and employees of the city in litigation in matters arising out of the official conduct of their office or duties in the course of their employment.
• Resolve legal issues by representing the City in criminal trials and civil matters including arbitration and mediations; negotiate terms of contracts, agreements, and legal documents with opposing counsel and third parties; prepares questions, arguments, motions, and briefs.
• Assumes management responsibility for all department services and activities, including civil litigation, preparation of City ordinances, subsequent prosecution of ordinance violations, and preparation of resolutions and other legal documents.
• Manages the development and implementation of departmental goals, objectives, policies and priorities for all assigned divisions of legal department.
• Selects, manages, evaluates and develops staff, which includes management, professional, technical and administrative staff.
• Oversees Risk Management division activities, including Risk funds, City liability, and workers compensation via Risk Manager.
• Develops and manages the department annual budget.
• Participate in all assigned duties, attend City functions as required.
• Respond to high level requests, interact with legislators, ensure maintenance of records as required.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge and skills by keeping required licenses and certifications current.
• Any and all other duties as may be assigned by the manager or by ordinance.


Position Type and Typical Hours of Work
• Exempt - Full-Time
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays is a schedule requirement
• In the event of an emergency, employees are required to work to provide for the safety and well-being of the public, including the delivery and restoration of vital services.


The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified in this position. This job description is subject to change as the needs and requirements of the job change.


Qualifications
• Doctor of Jurisprudence
• Ten (10) years or more experience practicing municipal law or other government law, including five (5) years of administrative or supervisory responsibility


Licenses and Certifications


Required
• Membership in the Texas State Bar, in good standing, and license to practice law in federal court
• Per Article IV, Section 10 of Municipal Code, City Attorney shall be a competent attorney who shall have practiced law in the State of Texas for at least five (5) years immediately preceding appointment.
• A valid driver's license is required; successful out-of-state candidates must be able to obtain a valid Texas driver's license within 90 days of hire


Employment Testing


Employment is contingent on passing any post-offer pre-employment screening as listed below:
• Criminal Background Check: Yes
• Motor Vehicle Record Check: Yes
• Drug Screening: Yes
• Physical Exam: Yes


Other Information:


Relocation Package


The City offers an excellent relocation assistance package that includes up to $20,000 for the following housing and moving expenses:


Temporary housing assistance
• Two (2) visits to the City which may include two (2) round trip flights or mileage (including hotel, car rental, etc) for the purpose of obtaining temporary or permanent living arrangements.
• Reimbursement for moving company expenses


Additional Incentive


Accrued Vacation
• Additional accrued annual vacation hours based on years of experience


Basis of Rating


Applications will be reviewed as they are received. A recruitment consultant will evaluate all applications against the posted qualifications and may request additional information and the city may also conduct additional skill assessment tests, in addition to the panel interview.


Closing Statement
• Any position that lists a minimum qualification for education level and/or license/certification will require the applicant to provide proof of documentation if selected for hire into the position with the City of Corpus Christi.


The City of Corpus is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). If you require an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please request assistance from the Human Resources Department.