The ideal candidate will:
•Keep the Council equally informed and provide the Council with options and choices to consider, along with associated risks.
•Be approachable, accessible, responsive, and decisive.
•Work well with other departments and agencies, both internal and external to the organization, as a supportive, service-oriented team player.
•Provide strong leadership with a collaborative, mentoring management style.
•Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills, expressing legal terminology in layperson’s terms.
•Have a reputation for being accountable, fair, ethical, and trustworthy. Must be transparent, honest, and forthcoming.
•Demonstrate sound, independent judgment and tact.
•Maintain security and confidentiality.
•Understand the importance of being politically astute while remaining apolitical.
•Have substantial administrative and management experience with a public or private legal practice.
•Possess a thorough knowledge of legal principles and concepts related to local government law, including Florida Sunshine and pubic record laws, and have experience in applying them properly.
The selected candidate will manage a considerable workload and effectively establish expectations, processes, and procedures within the City Attorney’s Office, resulting in high-quality work with an attention to detail and rapid responsiveness.Requirements include a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; a Juris Doctorate degree (J.D.) from an accredited college of law; and a minimum of nine (9) to twelve (12) years of progressively responsible legal experience, with five (5) years in government law and civil practice. A minimum of five (5) years supervising other attorneys is required. Experience in one or more of the following is important: civil or criminal trials or administrative hearings, code enforcement, environmental and land use, public contracts, public purchasing, public finance, real estate, and employment law. Board certification in Local Government with the Florida Bar is preferred. Preferred candidates will have legal experience in growth management, land use or exposure to land use law, as well as environmental, contractual, employment, historic preservation, public utilities, and experience working for a fast-growth community. Experience in transactional law, litigation, and arbitration is a plus. Must be a member in “good standing” with the Florida Bar and have a valid Florida Driver’s License with a clean driving record.