Civil Deputy City Attorney

Duties

The City of Billings is seeking a Civil Deputy City Attorney to perform a variety of professional duties involved in providing a full range of legal services related to municipal government operations. Duties include:

• Represent the City in civil proceedings as assigned before courts, administrative agencies and boards, and arbitrators.
• May occasionally prepare and prosecute misdemeanor criminal cases in courts.
• Advises City departments, staff, advisory boards, and commissions.
  
  

Salary Range: $109,712.93 - $146,999.42 annually. Salary reflects Step 1 and Step 7 of a 7-step pay scale. Salary at hiring will be dependent upon the applicant's education, experience, and training.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Handles legal issues related to assigned City departments, including analyzes, reviews, and drafts ordinances, deeds, releases, contracts, and other legal documents which bind or obligate the City.
• Provides legal opinions and recommendations to ensure the City is properly and effectively represented in such matters.
• Reviews rules, regulations, and policies to ensure legal compliance.
• Represents the City and its boards, commissions, and agents in civil and/or criminal legal proceedings before courts (including Municipal Court, Montana District Court, Montana Supreme Court, Federal Court), administrative agencies and boards (including Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Montana Human Rights Commission, Board of Personnel Appeals), arbitrators, and other administrative agencies.
• Prepares pleadings, conducts legal research, prepares briefs and memoranda, appears in court, and negotiates with other parties.
• Defends and negotiates as assigned by the City Attorney or Assistant City Attorney legal disputes which may involve significant amounts of City funds.
• Provides legal advice and opinions as requested by the City Attorney or Assistant City Attorney to City employees, City Council, and City boards and commissions on a variety of legal issues; advises staff and officials on the legal requirements and consequences of proposed actions; appears and presents information at City Council meetings as required; provides training to City staff and others on current laws and effective enforcement procedures.
• Conducts ongoing legal research in connection with legal issues pertaining to the City.
• Occasionally represents the City by prosecuting various misdemeanor criminal offenses.
• Initiates prosecutions.
• Prepares cases for prosecution.
• Reviews reports and conducts legal research.
• Prepares court orders, petitions, affidavits, and briefs.
• Tries cases.
• Determines and recommends appropriate sentences.
• Participates in the development, planning, and implementation of policies and procedures for the City Attorney's Office.
• Devises and implements systems and forms for most efficient operations.
• Participates in a variety of boards and commissions.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings.
• Stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of law.
• Responds to and attempts to diplomatically resolve difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Performs other duties as assigned, which may include work in the criminal area.
  
  

Required Qualifications And Skills

• A juris doctorate from an American Bar Association approved law school.
• Minimum of three (3) years of increasingly responsible civil legal experience.
• Member in good standing with the Montana State Bar.
• Current license to practice law in state and federal courts in Montana.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications And Skills

• Minimum of three (3) years of contract review, drafting, and negotiating.
• Municipal or other government civil legal experience.
  
  

Equal Opportunity Employer.