City Attorney

General Description

Whether you are joining our team for three years or twenty, you will have the opportunity to grow your career with us! Our employees are offered the opportunity to enhance their skill set by attending training courses, working on special projects, and becoming a member of one of our many City Teams. De Pere, consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in Wisconsin, is a safe, warm, and friendly community located right along the Fox River less than ten minutes from Green Bay and 25 minutes from Appleton and the Fox Valley. De Pere is an integral part of the Green Bay metro area, which was ranked as the #1 place to live in the United States for 2023. As an employer, the City of De Pere is a positive, team-oriented organization with a commitment to providing exceptional customer service to its community. The City of De Pere provides an engaging work environment focused on collaboration and team building. De Pere strives to attract, develop, and retain diverse talent by promoting a diversity of thought, valuing differing perspectives, and empowering employees to share their authentic viewpoints at all levels and functions within the City.

Check out what our employees have to say.

The City of De Pere desires to hire an experienced, decisive, forward thinking, approachable, creative, and team-oriented visionary City Attorney to act as legal advisor, including providing legal opinions, legal memoranda, and advice, over a broad range of municipal issues. See the City Attorney Brochure for additional information.

The typical work schedule is Monday - Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. plus evening hours for Council and Committee meetings. However, the City of De Pere recognizes the importance of its employees having a proper work-life balance and supports alternative work arrangements which include alternative work schedules, flexible scheduling, and remote work to help meet your lifestyle needs. In addition, new employees receive three weeks of vacation and four floating holidays per year beginning on the first day of work (prorated the first year).

Compensation: The anticipated starting salary is $123,344 - $148,012, depending on qualifications, plus an excellent benefits package. The full salary range for this position is $123,344 - $176,196. The City of De Pere rewards employees for exceptional work performance with a pay for performance incentive program. Employees may be awarded a salary increase, bonus, or paid time off for exceptional work performance. Employees will be automatically enrolled in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), a pension plan to help provide for financial security during retirement, which consists of employer and employee required contributions.

The City of De Pere is a qualifying employer under the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Program.

Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed as they are received. This announcement will remain posted, and we will continue to accept applications until the City reaches an agreement with one finalist.

The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with state and federal law, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employees needing reasonable accommodation should discuss the request with the employee’s supervisor or Human Resources.

Essential Functions

The following duties are essential for this position. However, they are not to be construed as exclusive or all–inclusive. To be successful in this position, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may also be required or assigned.

• Perform duties of legal advisor including providing legal opinions, legal memoranda, and advice to the Common Council, its Boards, Committees, Authorities and Commissions, and to City employees and City agents over a broad range of municipal issues, including municipal authority, real estate/economic development, zoning, public records, and open meetings issues.
• Attend all Common Council meetings and committee/commission/board meetings as required. Act as parliamentarian at governmental meetings under Robert’s Rules of Order.
• May represent City in administrative hearings before state and federal boards and commissions. May represent City in state and federal courts in conjunction with outside or insurance provided litigation counsel. Responsible for City municipal ordinance prosecution activities in De Pere/Ledgeview Joint Municipal Court.
• Draft development agreements, including TID incentivized agreements; complete real estate transactions including property transfer closings, easements, and other conveyances; draft and approve all contracts, agreements, and other legal documents required by City. Draft all ordinances and resolutions for Council action as needed. Prepare correspondence and legal documents necessary for City activities.
• Participate in labor negotiations. Assist in contract interpretation. Advise City department heads on employment relations matters.
• Supervise and direct operations and administrative functions, including preparation of future plans for the department and yearly department budget preparation. Supervise Assistant City Attorney and Paralegal.
• Participate as member of staff development team and various City teams as needed. Participate in Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreements with neighboring jurisdictions. Coordinate issues with other Brown County Municipal attorneys as needed.
• Respond to citizen inquiries concerning City ordinances, policies and other law related questions as they pertain to City matters.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Knowledge Of

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• State and federal municipal related laws and legal reference sources, including administrative regulations and rules.
• General municipal law, public sector labor law, and municipal finance.
• Rules of civil procedure and rules of evidence.
• Principles, procedures, and techniques of labor contracts and negotiations.
• Municipal government operations and administration.
• Principles and practices of modern management, public administration, municipal finance and budgeting, public policy development, and community relations.
• The City and Department’s operating requirements, policies, procedures, and practices; and local, state, and federal regulations related to department programs and operations.
• Principles and practices of effective, respectful employee supervision.
• Principles and practices of fiscal and project management and techniques utilizing strategic short to long-range planning principles.
• Standard office practices and procedures including business English, business document format, spelling, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, filing and math.
• Computer software including word processing, spreadsheet, database applications, accounting and specialized software consistent for this position.
  
  

Skill In

• Determining whether a legal or administrative approach will best resolve a City problem.
• Organizing, interpreting, and applying legal principles and knowledge to complex legal problems and presenting complex material clearly.
• Drafting clear and concise legislation, memoranda, and briefs.
• Legal research, writing, data analysis, and in determining a proper course of action.
• Analyzing complex administrative information and issues, defining problems and evaluating alternatives and recommending methods, procedures, and techniques for resolution of issues.
• Researching and understanding complex written materials; maintaining accurate internal records; preparing clear, comprehensive technical reports.
• Developing, interpreting, and implementing regulations, policies, procedures, written instructions, general correspondence, and other department-specific documents.
• Operation of office equipment to effectively perform the duties and responsibilities of the position.
• Applying problem solving, logic and reasoning to determine solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  
  

Ability To

• Interpret and implement local policies and procedures; written instructions, general correspondence; Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Instruct, train, and mentor in methods and procedures related to the organization.
• Oversee the work of staff including coordinating, assigning, monitoring, and evaluating work; hiring, training, counseling, and disciplining staff; managing time-off and maintaining personnel records.
• Influence the behavior of others through persuasion and encouragement. Manages conflict or other sensitive issues tactfully and effectively.
• Prepare and administer department budgets, schedules, reports, policy and procedures, and business correspondence.
• Make accurate and independent decisions.
• Prioritize and plan for efficient use of resources, and monitors progress against objectives.
• Organize, schedule, prioritize, and perform duties with limited supervision.
• Observe, follow oral and written instructions, and complete assignments accurately and within deadlines.
• Use appropriate language, style and methods depending on audience and the purpose of communication.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing with business representatives, elected officials, department heads, the public, and other City employees with courtesy and tact.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff and the public.
• Maintain confidentiality and discretion regarding information read or heard.
• Utilize a computer and required software.
• Work the required hours of the position and respond after hours as needed.
  
  

Minimum Requirements & Physical Requirements

Minimum Education: Juris Doctor from an American Bar Association accredited law school.

Minimum Experience: Seven to ten years experience performing similar duties.

A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Minimum Certifications

• Admission or ability to obtain admission to the Wisconsin State Bar.
• Admission or ability to obtain admission to practice before Federal District Courts in Wisconsin.
  
  

Other Requirements:

• Compliance with continuing legal education requirements.
• Valid unencumbered Wisconsin driver’s license and safe driving record.
  
  

Physical And Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is performed in a typical indoor office setting sitting at a desk in front of a computer.
• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Acceptable verbal and conversation skills to effectively communicate with others in English.
• Ability to read and write English and interpret documents.
• Acceptable verbal and conversation skills to effectively communicate with others via phone, at meetings, and to greet and assist visitors.
• Frequent use of phone handset and repetitive use of hands and fingers to operate office equipment, use computer keyboard and computer mouse, and to perform other office tasks.
• May require interactions with persons who are hostile or aggressive, posing threatening conditions.
  
  

All of the above is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. Nothing in this position description limits management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Employer and Employee and is subject to changes as the needs of the Employer and requirements of the position change. I have read the above position description and understand the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Learn what Northeast Wisconsin has to offer you! Life in the New North

The City of De Pere offers an attractive benefit package which includes:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation plans
• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)
• Vacation - start at 3 weeks
• Floating Holidays
• Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays
• 'Dress For Your Day' Dresscode
• Wellness Incentive Program
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Friday afternoons off and Alternative Work Arrangements available
• Identity Fraud Expense Reimbursement
• Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program
  
  

Learn more about the benefits the City offers at www.deperewi.gov/benefits.

01

Have you been involved in drafting development/redevelopment agreements in the last 5 years? If so, please identify the number you have drafted, and of those, how many involved TID incentives.

02

Describe your experience in labor negotiations, unemployment compensation, FLSA and other labor law matters.

• Required Question