DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY - CRIMINAL BRANCH OPERATIONS

job description

Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney
Hydee Feldstein Soto

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEYS

CRIMINAL BRANCH OPERATIONS

CRIMINAL AND SPECIAL LITIGATION BRANCH

ANNUAL SALARY RANGE: $94,112 - $169,126


SUMMARY : The City Attorney’s Office offers a range of opportunities for attorneys to work on significant and complex issues. The effectiveness of the City Attorney’s Office depends upon the continued recruitment and hiring of excellent and diverse legal talent. We recognize the need for attorneys of varied backgrounds and skills, and offer an inclusive environment that relies on diverse perspectives to ensure that we effectively serve the people of Los Angeles.

POSITION : The Criminal Branch Operations of the Criminal and Special Litigation Branch has immediate openings for attorneys.

SECTION: Criminal Branch Operations attorneys prosecute misdemeanor criminal cases from branch offices located throughout Los Angeles. The City Attorney's Office works closely with local law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol and numerous city, county, state, and federal regulatory agencies to prosecute crimes occurring in the City of Los Angeles.

The Criminal Branch Operations offices are:
Central Branch
200 N. Main Street, 5th Floor, Los Angeles 90012

Metropolitan Branch

1945 S. Hill Street, Room 501, Los Angeles 90007

Pacific Branch
11701 S. La Cienega Blvd., Room 430, Los Angeles 90045

North Valley Branch
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 450, Van Nuys 91401

Van Nuys Branch
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 160, Van Nuys 91401

Harbor Branch
100 Oceangate, Suite 510, Long Beach 90802

DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES: The essential job functions of the attorneys assigned to the Criminal Branch Operations include reviewing cases presented by a variety of law enforcement agencies for filing determination; making filing decisions; initiating criminal complaints; assessing the value of cases for purposes of possible charge reductions, pleas and sentences; appearing in arraignment court; negotiating case dispositions; engaging in case preparation, including visiting the crime scene when appropriate; retrieval and review of digital evidence such as body worn video, digital in car video and social media posts; handling discovery, law and motion matters and making related court appearances; staffing and appearing in master calendar courts, direct set trial courts and post-conviction courts; conducting jury and court trials, including interviewing and preparing witnesses for trial, preparing and arguing pre-trial motions, delivering opening statements and closing arguments, examining and cross-examining witnesses, making appropriate evidentiary objections; handling all post-deliberation motions and appropriate sentence recommendation post conviction; and, all other duties and responsibilities associated with the prosecution of misdemeanor offenses handled by the Office of the City Attorney.

QUALIFICATIONS: Required qualifications:

Licensed to practice law in all courts in the State of California.

The following qualifications are highly desirable:
1. Trial experience demonstrating strong trial skills, including an understanding of evidentiary issues, trial preparation and trial strategy, and a broad knowledge of criminal law and procedure.
2. Experience prosecuting misdemeanors.
3. Experience with filing procedures and handling arraignment, master calendar, trial and post-conviction courts.
4. Excellent oral communication skills and the ability to effectively engage in oral advocacy.
5. Demonstrated ability to successfully interact with a wide variety of members of the public, law enforcement, and the court system with tact, sensitivity and good judgment.
6. Strong research and writing skills.
7. Familiarity with electronic databases and the electronic and digital presentation of evidence.
8. Ability to assist in the preparation of reports, memoranda and legal research.

WRITING SAMPLE: Candidates are required to submit two writing samples that they personally have authored in the last two years.

PROBATION: Appointment to this exempt position (non Civil-Service) will be subject to a two (2) year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the CityCharter. Successful completion of the two (2) year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

COVID-19
VACCINE MANDATE : In accordance with Los Angeles City Ordinance 187134, candidates must meet the minimum requirement of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive an exemption and report their vaccination status prior to being hired by the hiring City department. The ordinance is available at https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-0921_ord_187134_8-24-21.pdf. APPLICATION AND DEADLINE: Attorneys interested in applying should submit their resume, writing sample, and cover letter specifying DCA - CRIMINAL BRANCH PROSECUTOR in ONE (1) pdf file via email to atty.recruit@lacity.org .

Hiring is ongoing as positions become available.

Selected applicants will be invited to interview.

CONFLICT
OF INTEREST: This position is designated Category 3 on Schedule B of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office Conflict of Interest Code.

How to apply

APPLICATION AND DEADLINE: Attorneys interested in applying should submit their resume, writing sample, and cover letter specifying DCA - CRIMINAL BRANCH PROSECUTOR in ONE (1) pdf file via email to atty.recruit@lacity.org .
Hiring is ongoing as positions become available.

Selected applicants will be invited to interview.

exempt employment

If employment is said to be exempt, it is meant that the employment is exempted from the civil service provisions of the City Charter. In order to receive a regular civil service appointment, employees must have successfully participated in a civil service examination, received a high enough score on the examination to be placed on and receive an appointment from an eligible list, and they must serve a probationary period. Exempt employees do not compete in a civil service examination, they are not placed on an eligible list and receive an appointment from that list, nor do they serve a probationary period. As a result, exempt employees do not have what is referred to as a “property interest” in their job. Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority and can be terminated at any time without cause. Employees with a property interest in their job, i.e. civil service employees, cannot be deprived of their employment(discharged or suspended) without due process.

General Information About Exempt Employment

Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority, and as such, they may be discharged, suspended or otherwise disciplined without cause. Exempt employees have no property interest in their employment, and any procedural benefit or other prerogative extended to them by their appointing authority is not intended to create and does not create any such property interest. No officer or employee of the City may make to any other officer or employee any representation of a property interest in employment which does not correspond to Charter provisions unless the City Council, by ordinance, permits such representation. No unauthorized representation can serve as the basis of an employee's reliance on, or expectation of, a property interest.

Employees Seeking To Become Civil Service Employees

There is no protective leave for an exempt employee appointed to a civil service position. Upon receiving a civil service appointment and passing probation, the former exempt employee will be subject to the Civil Service provisions described in Article X of the City Charter. Upon appointment, the civil service employee will begin to accrue displacement and layoff seniority on the first day of his/her civil service appointment and may file for promotional examinations for which s/he qualifies. A full or half-time exempt employee appointed to a full or half-time civil service position continues to: contribute to the Retirement System; accrue vacation time; accrue sick time; receive anniversary date salary increases; and, receive health and dental benefits identical to those received in the civil service position.

For candidates seeking initial City employment, in accordance with Los Angeles City Ordinance 187134, information regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements as conditions of employment may be found at: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-0921_ord_187134_8-24-21.pdf .

Closing Date/Time: 7/18/23

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