Assistant City Attorney

Posting number: I2359

Department: 1211 - City Attorney

Division: 1400 - City Attorney's Office

Job classification: Generic Unclassified Class Spec

Posting type: Open

Categories: Attorney

Summary

The San Diego City Attorney's Office protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego’s elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City’s prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, by holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 190 lawyers and approximately 230 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego.

The San Diego City Attorney’s Office has an opening for the Assistant City Attorney in the Legislative Services & Community Protection Division (previously Council and Government Services Division). The Assistant will manage three units and work closely with the Assistant City Attorneys for Litigation, Administration, and Municipal Operations Division (previously Mayoral Operations). The position reports directly to the City Attorney and is a member of the City Attorney’s Executive Team.

The Legislative Services & Community Protection Division has two distinct roles:

• The Division provides legal support to the City Council and independent City departments. The Assistant City Attorney serves as the liaison for the Council Offices to the City Attorney’s Office, works closely with the Council President’s Office, and provides legal support during Council meetings. The team serves as general counsel to the Housing Authority and advises numerous departments and offices, including the City Clerk, Independent Budget Analyst, City Auditor, Office of Government Affairs, Your Safe Place – the Family Justice Center, the Office of Boards and Commissions, Redistricting Commission, and the City’s California Public Records Act administration. The ACA reviews and edits all ordinances and legal memoranda issued by the Division. The ACA may act for the City Attorney in her absence, sits at the dais with City Council to provide legal advice, and performs other related duties as assigned. The ACA also assists in developing training programs, leads or co-leads division-wide meetings, and has other managerial duties.
• The Division also houses the community protection work of the City Attorney’s Office, civilly prosecuting cases on behalf of the People of the State of California to hold accountable those who commit crimes against public health and safety and who violate other local and state laws. The Division includes the Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement, which administers and enforces the City’s labor standards ordinances and ensures employers and contractors comply with the law. It also includes the Housing Protection and Civil Code Enforcement Unit (HPU) dedicated to ensuring that housing in San Diego is safe, fair, and livable. HPU takes a focused approach to addressing persistent code violations, substandard rental housing conditions, unfair business practices, and situations where there may be a pattern or practice of violating the Residential Tenant Protections or the Short-Term Residential Occupancy Ordinance.

The position is unclassified, at-will, and serves at the pleasure of the City Attorney.

To Apply:

To learn more about the position, please visit the San Diego City Attorney’s Office Career Page.