Senior Assistant City Attorney

Job Summary


COME JOIN OUR TEAM AND HELP GRAND PRAIRIE BUILD ITS FUTURE!

The City of Grand Prairie has experienced explosive development and growth over the last few years, creating increased complexity in providing legal services. The City Attorney’s Office has been able to add additional staffing in the last year to accommodate these needs. Retirements and restructuring of key roles in 2023 and 2024 have created exciting opportunities to grow and reposition the City Attorney’s Office for the future. This is an opportunity to become a part of an established, first-class City and City Attorney’s Office with opportunities for growth within the department. The ideal candidate will match the personality of the City: dynamic, forward-thinking, assertively friendly, hard-working, and bold.

Under the direction of the City Attorney, this position assists in providing a variety of legal services for the City of Grand Prairie, its departments and employees. This position is responsible for all aspects of civil municipal law, including counseling and advising City departments on enforcement matters, civil liability, and drafting or reviewing City contracts, leases, ordinances, requests for records, attending boards and commission meetings, and occasionally representing the City in litigation and before administrative bodies. All roles will also be required to assist in all other aspects of municipal law and other duties as assigned.

Applications received on or before January 27, 2025 will be considered for the initial interview process. Applications received after this date will be reviewed at the City’s discretion until the position is filled.

Essential Job Functions

This information is intended to be descriptive of the key responsibilities of the position. The following examples do not identify all duties performed by any single incumbent.

Senior Assistant City Attorney:
(This position is assigned to the Civil Division)

• Minimum 5 years legal experience required, with at least 3 years municipal law experience or related field preferred. Assists the City Attorney and Deputy City Attorneys with advising all City departments and managers on legal matters affecting the City.
• Acts as the primary attorney assigned to handling specialty legal areas including advising the Police Department and other departments as needed on Constitutional matters (1st, 4th, 5th and 14th Amendments), Code Compliance, including Chapter 125 and 54 Nuisance Abatement, and Civil Rights issues; advises the Housing and Environmental Management Departments on regulatory compliance.
• Drafts or reviews City contracts, ordinances, resolutions, leases, deeds, easements, and meeting agenda items.
• Advises and attends meetings of the Building Advisory and Appeals Board, represents the City before some administrative bodies as assigned, and advises on Open Meetings issues and Parliamentary Procedure.
• Maintains current information on all pertinent federal, state and municipal laws and case rulings; monitors and advises on legislation that could impact the operations of the City.
• Provides legal counsel to elected and appointed officials, boards, commissions, committees, and City departments based on interpretation of federal, state, county, and City constitutions, charters, statutes, ordinances, resolutions, rules, regulations, court decisions, administrative law decisions, and other legal authority.
• Maintains a general understanding of all aspects of municipal law and functions; answers questions from all City departments on assigned areas of practice.
• Makes presentations before the City Council, boards, commissions, staff, civic groups and the general public as needed.
• Prepares text for new ordinances or amendments to current ordinances upon approval of the City Attorney, and determines appropriate enforcement.
• Assists the City Attorney in representing officers and employees of the City in litigation or administrative matters arising out of the conduct of their office or duties in the course of their employment.
• Collaborates with outside counsel on assigned matters as approved by the Deputy City Attorney or the City Attorney.
• Represents the City, or manages the work of outside counsel in representation of the City, in some litigation and administrative hearings, such as nuisance abatement litigation, or cases appearing before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or the Texas Public Utility Commission.
• Performs other duties as assigned by a Deputy City Attorney or the City Attorney.
• Regular and dependable attendance is required.
• This position may have supervisory responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Required Education: Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Required Licenses: Licensed by the State Bar of Texas; Valid Class C Driver’s License
• Five years minimum practicing law, with three or more years of experience in municipal law preferred with focus or specialization in one of the following: City contracts and procurement matters, Federal Constitutional law, Police Legal Advisor on Criminal Procedure or Penal Code matters, Code Compliance, including Chapter 125 and 54 Nuisance Abatement, Civil Rights issues; Housing, Environmental, or regulatory compliance; or practice before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Housing and Urban Development, or Texas Public Utility Commission.
• Licensed by the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas and/or 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, or the ability to obtain licensure within six months of employment.

The City offers a full range of benefits for full time employees, including, but not limited to the plans as defined in the Benefits Guide. Summary of Benefits

Closing Date/Time: 2/7/2025 5:00 PM Central

2/7/2025 5:00 PM Central

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• City of Grand Prairie

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