Deputy City Attorney II/III - Port of LA

Description The Port of Los Angeles (POLA) Division attorneys work closely, under the supervision of the Division’s General Counsel, with the members of the Board of Harbor Commissioners (Board) and Harbor Department management and staff on a wide variety of legal matters pertaining to the operation of the Port. The selected candidate is expected to focus on one or more of the following subject matter areas. The POLA Division routinely handles civil litigation and disputes in the following areas: environmental (including California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)); real estate (including commercial unlawful detainer and landlord-tenant litigation); land use as impacted by applicable law, including the Tidelands Trust Act and the California Coastal Act; disputes arising from commercial transactions and competitive solicitations for construction, real estate, and other opportunities at the Port; insurance coverage under liability and other forms of specialized policies; employment and personnel matters; and tort and contract claims not covered by insurance. Litigation in such areas could be both defensive and affirmative and involve appeals. The POLA Division also frequently handles issues arising under environmental laws and with environmental regulatory agencies from projects or initiatives that POLA or its tenants wish to undertake, oftentimes in the pursuit of entitlements for such projects and initiatives, and addressing the application of such environmental laws to operations at POLA. Such environmental laws include the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the California Coastal Act, and the state and federal Clean Air Acts, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and CERCLA. Such environmental agencies include the California Air Resources Board, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the California Coastal Commission, the Water Quality Control Boards, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. To the extent that POLA is a landlord port, the POLA Division frequently handles land use, zoning, real property, and real estate transactional issues as impacted by the application of other applicable law, including the City Charter and Administrative Code. Such issues frequently arise in negotiations of lease documents and amendments of lease documents, and in providing advice and counsel to POLA management and Board regarding the costs, benefits, risks, and opportunities associated with such issues. POLA’s operations are specialized and applicants with prior experience representing ports and/or municipal agencies are preferred. Duties and Responsibilities While the selected candidate is expected to focus on one or more of the aforementioned areas, he or she will also handle assignments involving other areas of law, depending on their skills and/or qualifications and the operational needs of the Division. Examples of these areas include: Municipal governance - primarily pursuant to the Tidelands Trust Act, California Coastal Act, Los Angeles Charter and Administrative Code, California Public Records Act, Brown Act and Ethics laws. Real estate transactional - typically relating to real property entitlements for property the Port holds in trust for the State. Transactional, contracting, financial, and business - relative to service contracts, Requests for Proposals, and other competitive solicitations undertaken by the Port; insurance and other agreements related to Harbor Department operations; strategic commercial matters; tariffs setting rates and charges and operating rules for use of Harbor Department facilities; and revenue bonds. Regulatory and environmental - in relation to National Environmental Policy Act, California Coastal Act, Clean Water Act, CEQA, CERCLA, and RCRA, among other laws. This practice requires frequent work with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Department of Toxic Substance Control, California Air Resources Board, South Coast Air Quality Management, and US Army Corps of Engineers. Construction and development - advice and counsel on project formulation and implementation, construction bidding and contracts, and disputes. Risk management and human resources – advice, counsel, and representation on employment and personnel matters; availability of insurance coverage for various litigation matters; and workers’ compensation. Requirements Licensed to practice law in all courts in the State of California; Minimum five (5) years of relevant legal experience in one or more of the aforementioned areas of law; Strong written and oral communication skills; Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; Willingness to work in practice areas in which the applicant currently is not familiar because the Port is a unique work environment, which correspondingly affects the nature of the legal matters that arise. Ability to deal effectively with their colleagues, public officials, non-attorney department personnel, and members of the public. Desired Qualifications Regarding civil litigation, successful applicants will possess high-level demonstrated experience and success in pleading, law and motion, discovery, trial preparation and trial, and experience in analogous settings, including arbitration and administrative hearings in matters involving real estate, land use, commercial transactions, competitive solicitations, insurance coverage, employment law, environmental law, and/or personal injury and/or property damage. Such experience preferably will include successful trials and/or appeals (applicants are requested to provide citations to any published cases in which they acted as counsel, and to summarize their role in such cases). Such experience should also include analyses and assessments relative to exposures and case valuations for purposes of client decision making regarding dispute handling and potential settlement. Regarding environmental and regulatory law, successful applicants will possess significant hands‑on and direct involvement in assisting clients with obtaining entitlements for major projects that involve application of the laws noted above, and in navigating regulatory issues and regulatory agency involvement on behalf of clients that wish to undertake major projects. Regarding real estate transactional law, successful applicants will possess a proven track record of assisting clients in negotiating and closing significant real estate transactions and navigating legal and negotiating issues that arise in that process, preferably in the port and/or municipal agency context. Current Location Los Angeles Harbor Administration Building, 425 S. Palos Verdes, 5th floor, San Pedro, CA 90731 Work Location and Parking This position requires regular onsite work. Employer-provided parking is limited and may not be available for this classification. Employees may be responsible for securing and paying for parking at nearby facilities. Probation Appointment to this exempt position (non Civil‑Service) will be subject to a two‑year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the two-year probationary period will result in tenure with the office. Retirement Benefits Employees participate in the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS), which includes mandatory employee pension contributions through payroll deduction. The City also contributes toward the employee’s retirement benefit. Contribution rates are established by the applicable retirement system and may vary based on employee classification, membership status, and other factors. For more information, please visit: Conflict‑of‑Interest This position is designated as Category 1 on the Conflict‑of‑Interest Code. Equal Employment Opportunity and ADA Policy AS A COVERED ENTITY UNDER TITLE Il OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY AND, UPON REQUEST, WILL PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO ITS PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES. TO REQUEST A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, PLEASE CALL THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION AT View phone number on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr The Los Angeles County Bar Association - LACBA