City Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

Our Mission

American Fork City's mission is to provide excellence in service to residents, visitors, and the business community to foster a high quality of life.

American Fork City is seeking an experienced, solutions-oriented City Attorney to serve as the City's chief legal advisor and a trusted partner to City leadership. This is an opportunity to shape municipal decision-making, protect the City's interests, proactively manage legal risk, and help guide the City's continued growth and development.

Working closely with the Mayor, City Council, City Administrator, and department directors, the City Attorney provides practical, timely legal counsel that supports effective governance and responsible public service. The ideal candidate combines strong legal expertise with sound judgment, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to navigate complex legal and organizational challenges with professionalism, integrity, and discretion.

This role extends beyond traditional legal practice. The City Attorney will lead the City's legal function, establish effective processes for delivering in-house legal services, manage litigation and claims, oversee outside counsel, and help departments find lawful, practical solutions to operational challenges.

• Advise City Leadership: Provide clear, strategic legal guidance to the Mayor, City Council, City Administrator, department directors, boards, and commissions on municipal operations, policy, and governance.

• Protect the City's Interests: Manage civil litigation, claims, negotiations, appeals, and other contested matters while identifying legal exposure and recommending effective risk-reduction strategies.

• Guide Growth and Development: Provide legal counsel on land use, zoning, development agreements, annexations, redevelopment, real property, infrastructure, utilities, and other matters affecting the City's future.

• Ensure Legal Compliance: Advise on Utah's Open and Public Meetings Act, GRAMA, governmental immunity, procurement requirements, employment matters, ethics, and other laws governing Utah municipalities.

• Draft and Negotiate Legal Documents: Prepare, review, and interpret ordinances, resolutions, contracts, interlocal agreements, policies, procurement documents, and other legal instruments.

• Lead Legal Services: Develop effective legal workflows, establish priorities and service standards, manage departmental resources, supervise assigned staff, and determine when specialized outside counsel is appropriate.

• Collaborate Across the Organization: Coordinate with the City prosecutor, outside counsel, risk management partners, and City departments to resolve issues efficiently and support informed decision-making.

• Promote Proactive Problem-Solving: Anticipate legal challenges, provide training and guidance, and help City departments accomplish their goals while protecting the City's legal and operational interests.

Your day may begin with advising City leadership on an emerging issue or preparing for a City Council meeting. You might then review a development agreement, negotiate contract provisions, evaluate a claim, or provide guidance on an employment matter. Throughout the day, you will balance immediate legal needs with long-term priorities, collaborate with departments and outside counsel, and identify practical solutions to complex challenges. You will also build the systems and processes that help the City deliver responsive, effective, and cost-conscious legal services. Every day brings opportunities to influence important decisions, reduce risk, and make a meaningful contribution to the community.

Required qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an American Bar Association-accredited law school.

• Active license to practice law in Utah and membership in good standing with the Utah State Bar.

• At least six years of progressively responsible legal experience.

• Experience advising organizational leadership, managing complex civil legal matters, and drafting or reviewing contracts, ordinances, resolutions, or comparable legal documents.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Strong knowledge of Utah municipal law and the legal principles governing local government, including land use, contracts, employment, real property, governmental immunity, public meetings and records, and municipal powers and procedures.

• Excellent legal research, analysis, drafting, negotiation, advocacy, and oral and written communication skills.

• The ability to evaluate legal risks, exercise independent professional judgment, and provide practical, solution-oriented advice.

• The ability to explain complex legal matters clearly to elected officials, employees, boards, commissions, and other stakeholders.

• Strong organizational and leadership skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate outside counsel, and develop effective legal-service processes.

• A high degree of integrity, discretion, emotional intelligence, professional independence, and commitment to public service.

Experience in municipal or local government law, land use, public-sector legal practice, or a closely related area is highly desirable. Supervisory, lead attorney, or legal project-management experience is preferred.

American Fork City offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee well-being and financial security, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage

• Retirement benefits through a 401(k) plan

• Life insurance

• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options

• Paid time off

• Employee discounts

• A collaborative workplace with knowledgeable, approachable colleagues who value teamwork and public service

If you are a thoughtful legal professional who values public service, exercises sound judgment, and wants to help a growing city navigate complex challenges and opportunities, we invite you to apply.

Bring your legal expertise, leadership, and commitment to public service to American Fork City. Help us make informed decisions, protect our community's interests, and deliver excellence in municipal government.