City Attorney

The City of Galesburg is seeking a qualified and dedicated professional to serve as City Attorney, leading all legal services for the municipality. This is an exceptional opportunity, granting the professional advantage of advising one central client—the City—which facilitates in-depth engagement on all legal issues without the constraints of billable hours or juggling multiple clients. The Attorney serves as a key member of the City’s leadership team, developing a comprehensive understanding of the organization and guiding all legal functions. The position includes the ability to strategically contract and manage outside counsel for specialized matters, ensuring both a sustainable workload and the achievement of effective results. The position serves as the sole in-house attorney for the City and offers a tremendous opportunity for the right candidate to build a distinguished and comprehensive career in municipal law.

The City of Galesburg offers a competitive compensation package, with a starting salary range for this position of /- $140,000 and outstanding benefits, including an Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Pension. The successful candidate will join a collaborative work environment characterized by highly qualified colleagues and a largely predictable work schedule promoting excellent work-life balance. As a member of the Administration Department, the City Attorney will work in a professional office setting with a positive and engaging team culture.

The City of Galesburg operates under the Council-Manager form of government and employs approximately 240 employees, a portion of whom are represented by the AFSCME, PSEO, or IAFF unions. Administration, under the direction of the City Manager, oversees all city operations, which include Police, Fire, Public Works (water, streets), Parks & Recreation, Community Development, Finance, and an elected City Clerk, with Human Resources and IT providing internal services.

The City of Galesburg, with a population of approximately 30,000 residents, is a small city within a predominantly rural area, which offers an attractive blend of city amenities within a calmer rural atmosphere. Residents enjoy ample outdoor recreational opportunities, such as Lake Storey and Bunker Links Golf Course, as well as shopping, dining, and entertainment, including the Orpheum Theater downtown. Educational opportunities are present with Galesburg CUSD 205, Galesburg Christian School, Knox College, and Carl Sandburg College, all located within the community.

If you are seeking a rewarding career opportunity and enjoy providing a diverse range of municipal legal services while advising one dedicated client, this position may be an excellent opportunity. Beyond the anticipated responsibilities detailed in the job description, the City Attorney role offers significant autonomy, empowering you to build and shape an ideal legal services structure for Galesburg, successfully growing your professional portfolio, and serving as a key member of the City’s leadership team.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The City of Galesburg seeks interested applicants to fill the position of City Attorney in the Department of Administration. This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position with a starting annual salary range of /- $140,000. This position serves as the chief legal advisor for the City of Galesburg, providing professional legal work under the direction of the City Manager and in support of the policies set by the City Council. The City Attorney serves as the sole in-house attorney for the City and is responsible for providing legal counsel and representation to the City in a wide range of legal matters, including labor and employment, collective bargaining, public policy, land transfers, contracts and agreements, prosecution of all code and ordinance violations, and litigation. Responsibilities include representing the City’s interest in a myriad of legal issues, and collaboration with outside legal counsel assigned to workers’ compensation and other special interest or insurance-covered litigation. The City Attorney serves as a key member of the City’s leadership team and is responsible for developing, planning, and implementing a comprehensive legal services program for the City of Galesburg.

A listing of benefits associated with this position can be found here. 

A position profile can be found here.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensure that all city operations are in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and laws, and in conformance with acceptable standards and practices.
• Prepare legal and highly confidential information. Develop, analyze, and provide appropriate factual and policy background information.
• Defend the city in all legal matters in which the City is a party. Oversee and serve as the point of contact for any case in which the City has appointed outside counsel or is defended by an insurance carrier of the City.
• Negotiates, drafts, or reviews contracts, deeds, agreements, ordinances, resolutions, and other legal documents as needed.
• Develop an annual legal budget based on anticipated needs and administer the assigned budget.
• Represent the city as plaintiff in collections, small claims, judgments, and tax foreclosures; prepare contract, bond, and other documents.
• Provide advice and updates to the city manager on policy issues and pending litigation.
• Represent the City in collective negotiation matters, union grievance and arbitration hearings as needed, and advise on other personnel matters in coordination with the human resources director.
• Provide assistance to the city manager on special projects as assigned.
• Attend all regular and special meetings of the city council and act as parliamentarian.
• Prosecute ordinance violations via Circuit Court and Administrative Adjudication.
• Other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Juris Doctorate, licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois.
• Good standing with the Illinois State Bar Association.
• A minimum of three years of legal experience, preferably in Illinois municipal law.

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND ABILITY

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work productively with colleagues, elected officials, community members, developers, and within the judicial system.
• Extensive knowledge of local, state, and federal law and court decisions, including those that affect municipalities.
• Knowledge and experience in the principles and methods utilized in legal research.
• Experience in general municipal law, including but not limited to drafting complaints, urban planning, employment law, labor law, municipal code enforcement, risk management, and prosecution of ordinance violations.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Valid Illinois driver’s license or equivalent.
• License to practice law in the State of Illinois and the ability to maintain the same.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is predominantly in an office setting. 

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, send your resume to HR@ci.galesburg.il.us 

The City reserves the right to close this posting at any time and without prior notice.  To receive full consideration, applications should be submitted as soon as possible. Recruitment will continue until the position is filled.