ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY (LITIGATION)

Description

This position performs legal work assisting the City Attorney and will involve preparing ordinances, resolutions and opinions; prepares legal memoranda; reviews documents; with the primary responsibility of representing the City in civil cases, appeals and administrative matters; and performs related work as required. The incumbent works within a general outline of work to be performed, and develops work methods and sequences under general supervision.

The work is considered sedentary in nature and involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a recurring basis, and routine keyboard operations. The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: mental acuity, speaking, and talking.

Work environment involves exposure to no known environmental hazards; and is dynamic that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities and needs.

Essential Job Functions

• Consults with and advises and represents the City and all City legislative and administrative officials in all legal matters, litigation and appeals in State and Federal courts;
• Manages a civil caseload; an administrative caseload; document review assignments; and criminal docket, if assigned to Municipal Court;
• Prepares cases and represents or assists in representing the City in problems of a legal nature;
• Analyzes and evaluates lawsuits, writs, and other litigation related matters in all stages of litigation and determines legal strategy;
• Attends and participates in depositions, mediations, hearings, and trials as appropriate;
• Engages in pretrial, trial, post-trial and appellate practice as required by cases;
• Prepares written legal opinions and gives legal advice as required;
• Recommends action to be followed on complaints and claims by or against the City and represents the City in such cases;
• Reviews and prepares legal documents;
• Assists in resolving cases, and prepares and presents settlement recommendations;
• Attends training, seminars, workshops, etc., as required to maintain job knowledge and skills; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK:

• Juris doctorate degree;
• Four (4) years of relevant prior experience in litigation and appeals in State and Federal Courts;
• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License;

• Must be admitted to practice before or eligible to become admitted to practice before the U.S. Federal Courts within six months of hiring;
• Experience and skill in listening to testimony, taking and defending fact and expert witness depositions;
• Extensive experience in general litigation with motion practice, discovery dispute, and trial preparation;
• Significant, wide-ranging, investigation, litigation and enforcement experience and expertise;
• First or second chair responsibility in a minimum of three trials or substantial evidentiary hearings;
• Experience in or with the public sector is desired;
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and/or ordinances are advantageous;
• Should have knowledge of civil and criminal law; Rules of civil and criminal procedures and rules of evidence; legal research; legal ethics.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work under pressure, coordinate multiple priorities, and meet strict deadlines;
• Ability to learn, understand and apply relevant rules, policies and procedures and statutes and effectively communicate;
• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;
• Knowledge of personal computer equipment with skill in the use of Microsoft Office 2000 preferred, utilizing Outlook, word processing and database software programs;

• Ability to synthesize or integrate analysis of data or information to discover facts or develop knowledge or interpretations; changes policies, procedures or methodologies based on new facts, knowledge or interpretations;
• Ability to persuade or influence others in favor of a service, point of view, or course of action; may enforce laws, rules, regulations or ordinances;
• Ability to handle or use machines, tools or equipment requiring brief instruction or experience, such as computers for data entry, fax machines, copiers, telephones or similar equipment; may service office machines, including adding paper and changing toner;
• Ability to perform work involving the application of principles of logical thinking or legal practice to diagnose or define problems, collect data and solve abstract problems with widespread unit or organizational impact;
• Ability to read journals, manuals and professional publications; speaking informally to groups of co-workers, staff in other organizational agencies, the general public, people in other organizations; presenting training; composing original reports, training and other written materials using proper language, punctuation, grammar and style;
• Ability to perform professional-level work requiring the application of legal methods in the solution of administrative or legal problems; requires extensive understanding of operating policies and procedures and ability to apply these to complex problems; or the coordination of sub professional work in these disciplines; requires continuous, close attention for accurate results and frequent exposure to unusual pressures; and
• Ability to make decisions, affecting most segments of the organization and the general public; works in a highly dynamic environment; responsible for establishing goals, objectives and policies.

The City of Columbia is proud to offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees. This package includes health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part-time or temporary employees, including interns, are not eligible for City benefits.






































To learn more details, visit our benefits page at:
https://hr.columbiasc.gov/benefits/