Litigation Attorney

To handle legal and litigation matters for LMCIT, including drafting legal documents, developing litigation strategies, conducting written discovery, taking depositions, presenting motions, negotiating settlements, and trying cases before a court or jury. The position primarily involves serving as lead or sole counsel on routine to moderately complex municipal cases, covering issues such as property damage, subrogation, employment disputes, discrimination, and personal injury.

Hiring Range - The expected hiring range is $90,500 to $165,000.  The full salary range extends to $180,356. 

Benefits - The League of Minnesota Cities offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, employer-paid basic life insurance and long-term disability coverage, a contribution match to 457 plans, participation in the PERA public pension plan, and 12 paid holidays. Additional benefits include voluntary supplemental life insurance, spouse and dependent life insurance, and short-term disability coverage. 

Application deadline - This position is open until filled. However, priority consideration will be given to applications received by February 16th. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

• Performs legal and litigation activities, drafts or directs the drafting of documents, i.e., answers, motions, memoranda, etc.
• Conducts, directs, and reviews litigation, develops plans for litigation, determines merits of claims, potential risk, and exposure of litigation.
• Conducts site inspections and interviews.
• Selects and retains experts.  Works with experts to help develop case themes and provide written reports and expert disclosures.
• Prepares for and takes depositions, prepares, and selects witnesses, review documents, handles motions, negotiates settlements, prepares cases for trial or hearing and appears at pretrial conferences and trials on increasingly complex cases. Caseload includes cases before state and federal district and appellate courts.
• Represents clients before state and federal district and appellate courts and before state and federal administrative agencies.
• Supervises day-to-day activities of paralegal and legal administrative assistant (“LAA”) assigned to counsel. Responsible for maximizing and maintaining efficiency of the attorney’s work team (attorney, paralegal and LAA).
• Participates in and makes recommendations on selection and evaluation of paralegal and LAA.
• Prepares appellate briefs and prepares for and presents appellate oral arguments.
• Provides comprehensive case to assigned claims supervisors.  
• Provides legal advice and guidance to LMU and member cities on claims and issues not yet in suit.
• Advises city clients and claims supervisors regarding legal analysis, litigation strategy, and settlement negotiations.
• Reports significant litigation events to claims supervisor and city client.
• Participates in mediation, arbitration, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
• Keeps Litigation Supervisor informed of activities, problems, case and caseload development.
• Provides risk management, loss control and claims legal advice to LMC members and other LMC staff through meetings, presentations, and telephone and written inquiries.
• Conducts legal research using on-line resources.  
• Competently uses technology and other resources to handle properly and ethically, electronically stored information (ESI) in litigation.  
• Drafts and edits legal documents and correspondence.
• Other duties as assigned by Litigation Supervisor

Attorney I

• J.D. and current Minnesota Attorney licensure.
• Ability to travel within Minnesota for investigations, presentations, and litigation events, including occasional overnight travel.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends for case preparation

Attorney II (in addition to Attorney I requirements)

• Minimum three years of civil litigation experience.
• Experience supervising or coordinating the legal work of others (e.g., law clerks, paralegals, legal administrative assistants, attorneys).

Attorney III (In addition to Attorney I & II requirements)

• Minimum seven years of extensive civil litigation experience.
• Experience supervising or coordinating the legal work of others.
• Demonstrated trial experience, including at least two civil jury trials through closing argument or equivalent advocacy experience.

Desirable Qualifications

• Additional years of experience in municipal law or civil litigation.
• Public speaking experience.

• Familiar with a variety of defense concepts, practices and procedures including e-discovery.
• Proficient and knowledgeable regarding the use of technology in providing legal services 
• Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.
• Handles increasingly complex litigation files under general supervision.
• Exercises sound judgment in representation of clients and presentation of cases at court trials, jury trials, state and federal appellate proceedings, arbitrations, mediations, and other alternative dispute resolution events.
• Effectively and efficiently develops and discovers evidence using written discovery, informal discovery, depositions, client interviews and meetings, by directing investigation by claims adjusters and others, and by cultivating, discovering, and identifying expert witness resources.
• Communicates effectively with clients, opposing counsel, claims supervisors and courts.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with outside attorneys and staff.
• Assesses workload and sets realistic priorities to successfully open and close assigned files and to support organizational objectives.
• Successfully completes assignments relative to quality, quantity, and timeliness of work.
• Works effectively under pressure and meets deadlines.
• Develops particular or specialized skills within practice area (i.e., MVA/no fault, employment, complex medical, calculation of lost wages in workers’ compensation setting, etc.).
• Meets or exceeds League Empowerment and Performance Program (LEAPP) results/timelines and other department performance measures.
• Promotes diversity and inclusion objectives, including race equity objectives, defined by the League and continually examines own performance to eliminate implicit bias in carrying out duties and interacting with the public, coworkers, and members.

Salary : $90,500 - $180,356