Senior Associate City Attorney

The Senior Associate City Attorney provides a wide range of legal services to the City Council, the City Manager and City Officials and staff in the conducting of City business, with a focus on the operation of water and sewer services. This role provides formal and informal legal opinions and drafts a variety of documents, ranging from a low to high level of complexity.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides a broad range of legal services related to municipal and public enterprise/utility operations as directed by the City Attorney, particularly in the area of environmental law.
• Participates in problem-solving on a variety of City issues and special projects from the legal perspective, interpreting laws, rulings, and regulations.
• Serves as a member of a team of highly experienced professionals in a dynamic law office setting.
• Researches a variety of legal issues and provides legal advice and direction to City representatives, who may include the City Council or City Departments, with a focus on all aspects of environmental and public enterprise/utility law.
• Reviews and interprets environmental and public enterprise/utility laws and regulations and advises on their implications.
• Works with City Departments in providing day-to-day advice on departmental operations and may serve as lead attorney to one or more assigned City Departments or Offices.
• Reviews and assists in the drafting of changes to the City Code, City Administrative Regulations, as well as environmentally related provisions of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and provides advice relating to interpretation of the same.
• Represents the City in a variety of administrative matters relating to environmental issues or utility operations at the Office of Administrative Hearings, as well as in state and federal court. Work may include City Code enforcement.
• Monitors legislative and regulatory developments in environmental and public enterprise/utility laws and advises the City Attorney and relevant City departments about those developments.
• Reviews and drafts contracts and other procurement documents while handling procurement related issues.
• May review and draft real estate instruments, particularly easement documents, and provide legal guidance on environmental issues concerning real property.
• May represent the City Attorney’s Office when attending staff, Council, community, and other meetings.
• Assists the City Attorney or other attorneys in addressing matters as they may arise.

Typical Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Juris doctorate degree (J.D.) or equivalent. Graduation from an accredited school of law with at least 6 years of increasingly responsible experience and demonstrated success in matters of at least moderate complexity and organizational risk

OR

Applicants may substitute additional relevant experience or additional education for the required years of relevant experience.

Licensing and Certifications:

• License to practice law in North Carolina required by hire date. Admission before U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina may be required after hire date.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10 years of law practice
• Experience in environmental law or in the operation of a public enterprise/utility
• An emphasis or interest in areas of law relevant to municipal practice
• Interest in local government and public service

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Word Processing software and competent use of legal research software (Westlaw).