Honors Attorney (Assistant Deputy City Attorney)

The Position

Job Appointment: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 am-5 pm. An alternate schedule may be available.
WorkLocation:1221 SW 4TH AVE, PORTLAND OR 97204
Benefits: Please check our benefit tab for an overview of benefits for this position.
Union Representation: Non-represented, no union affiliation.
Toviewlaboragreements,currentandfuture,pleasevisitthe CurrentCityLaborAgreements page.
Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position may be eligible for Language Pay Differentia l for qualifying employees.

ApplicationMaterial:PleaseclickAPPLYtosubmityourapplicationviatheCityofPortland’sonlineportal.Youwillneed to attach a resume, cover letter, a 500-word equity statement, and your law school transcript.

The Honors Attorney Program is for recent law school graduates, newly admitted lawyers, and judicial clerks who are committed to public service with an interest in litigation. This one- to two-year program is designed to provide an opportunity for new lawyers from historically underserved communities to gain public law experience at the start of their careers.

The Honors Attorney Program provides new attorneys with an invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a wide range of legal disciplines alongside more experienced attorneys. Participants will assume substantial individual responsibility for all phases of litigation, including drafting pleadings, motions, and briefs, conducting all aspects of discovery, court appearances, settlement negotiations, and trial work. In addition to litigation work, participants may conduct legal research, draft memoranda, and advise bureaus and council staff. The position requires excellent written and oral advocacy, proficiency in time management, the ability to manage a challenging caseload, and the flexibility to work both independently and as a team member.

Participants will receive on-the-job instruction, support, and mentorship from some of the most senior members of the City Attorney’s Office.

PROGRAMDETAILS

The term of appointment is for a maximum of two years. During the program, Honors Attorneys will work primarily in the litigation group, which may include handling a broad variety of assignments from different practice groups in the City Attorney’s Office. Honors Attorneys can expect challenging assignments across a wide spectrum of legal fields, taking into consideration an Honors Attorney’s interest and Office workload.

The City of Portland is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, marital status, family status, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. This position is contingent on yearly approval by City Council and may be terminated if funding is exhausted or not renewed.

MISSIONANDOFFICE
s
The Portland City Attorney's Office has over 40 attorneys and 40 legal support professionals, equivalent to a mid-sized Portland law firm. The City Attorney's Office manages, directs, and integrates a wide range of complex, sensitive legal services, often involving issues of significant visibility and substantial consequence for the City. The Office is responsible both for providing legal advice and advocacy on highly complex and sensitive issues in diverse areas of law to the Mayor, City Council, bureau managers, other City employees, boards, and commissions and for ensuring that City officials and employees comply with the legal and ethical standards set forth in statute and code.

The Portland City Attorney’s Office aims to provide excellent, objective, timely, and cost-effective legal advice and advocacy in support of the City’s policy goals and to ensure that the official actions of the City, its elected officials, and employees comply with the law. Specifically, the Office has four goals: to provide the highest level of customer service to clients through preventive legal advice that is timely, accurate and easy to access; to effectively and vigorously advocate for the City’s interests in state and federal courts and otherwise; to support and advance the City’s objective of achieving equity in all of its programs, services and activities; and to ensure accountability for the office’s professional performance and effective stewardship of public resources.

Questions:
TerrolJohnson
Senior Recruiter terrol.johnson@portlandoregon.gov

To Qualify

Applicants should specifically address and demonstrate in their cover letter and résumé how their education, training, and/or experience meet each of the following minimum qualifications:

1. Applicants must be admitted to the Bar of the State of Oregon and be eligible to practice law before the courts of the State of Oregon at the time of appointment (or expect to be admitted shortly after appointment).

Selection is highly competitive, and candidates will be considered based on academic achievement, writing skills, clinical experience, past employment, extracurricular activities, and a demonstrated interest in and commitment to government service or public interest law.

In addition to your cover letter, resume, and law school transcript, please provide a writing sample of approximately 500 words or less describing: 1) your experiences or participation with one or more of the following, and 2) what you learned:

• Experiences living, working, and/or interacting with individuals with diverse backgrounds and identities;
• Situations in which you have taken action to help resolve racial inequities;
• Steps you have taken to make workplaces and/or public spaces more inclusive; or
• Advocacy or support as a member of a historically underrepresented group in government decision-making.

If you do not have experience with the areas listed above, please explain how you would demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in this position.

The Recruitment Process

STEP 1: Apply online between September 23 , 2024 - October 21 , 2024

Required Application Materials:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• 500-word equity statement

Optional Application Materials:

• Veteran documents to request for Veteran Preference (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc.)

Application Tips:

• Your cover letter should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained, which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your resume should support the details described in your cover letter.
• Salary Range/Equity Pay Analysis : Please note per the Oregon State Pay Equity Law your salary is determined based on the experience and education listed in your resume/application. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience.
  
• Do not attach materials not requested.
  
• All completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
  
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.
  

Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Week of October 21 , 2024

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and cover letter, and equity statement weighted 100%.
• Your resume and cover letter will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to the establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of Octo ber 28, 2024

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

Step 4: Selection (Interview): TBD

• The hiring bureau will review and select candidates to interview.
• Please note, that the selection process may take up to 90 days from the notification of being placed on the eligible list.

Step 5: Offer of Employment: TBD


Step 6: Start Date: TBD

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.

*Timeline is approximate and subject to change*

Additional Information

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• Click here for additional information regarding the following:
• City of Portland Core Values

Recruitment Process - Work StatusEqual Employment OpportunityVeteran PreferenceADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations Did you know? The City of Portland has How to Apply Videos and offers How to Apply Classes once per month. If you have questions after watching the videos you are invited to contact the recruiter listed on the announcement.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

A Career with the City of Portland offers many Employee Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to

• Health Care (Medical, Vision and Dental)
• Carrot Fertility
• Wellness Benefits
• Life Insurance
• Long-term disability coverage to eligible employees and their families.
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Retirement
• Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), includingcontributions to the PERS IAP plan paid by employer
• Family Medical Leave
• City Paid Parental Leave

AND SO MANY MORE!

Benefits may vary depending on bargaining unit and employment status. Click here to review the many different benefits the City of Portland offers .

Closing Date/Time: 10/21/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

Portland, Oregon United States View Map