ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR/QUALITY OF LIFE ATTORNEY

The City of Cincinnati Solicitors Office is seeking an experienced civil litigation attorney to join its Quality of Life division, which focuses on the abatement of blight and improvement of City neighborhoods through affirmative litigation. The ideal candidate will have several years of experience as a plaintiffs attorney, including experience with claims investigation, complaint and complex motion drafting, and all forms of discovery. Experience with municipal, nuisance, and/or real estate law is preferred. Excellent writing, reasoning, and analytical skills, and the ability to interact well with the City administration, elected officials, community stakeholders, and the general public, plus a commitment to being engaged in public interest work are essential. Candidates should possess a minimum of three years of experience and be licensed to practice law in Ohio. The City of Cincinnati is an equal opportunity employer.


Interested candidates should attach their resume and letter of interest with their online application.

For inquiries, please contact Lisa Kunz, Law Department, Room 214, City Hall, 801 Plum Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, [email protected]


(Below is illustrative only. Any one position may not require all of the listed KSAS nor do the listed examples include all the KSAS that may be required.)

Knowledge of:
General litigation processes and the Ohio and federal rules of civil procedure.
Legal principles, practices, and procedures of civil, constitutional, and administrative law.
Methods and techniques of legal research.
Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes and regulations and their past applications. Awareness of the organization, duties, powers, authority, policies, and procedures of both the City Solicitor's Office in general and the division to which the attorney is assigned.
Advanced legal writing skills.
Ethical standards as applied to the City Solicitor's Office.

Ability to:
Prepare clear, concise, and complex legal pleadings, briefs, and opinions.
Organize, interpret, and apply legal principles and knowledge of complex legal problems.
Assist with presentation of complex cases in court.
Conduct exhaustive research on questions of law ranging from code enforcement to constitutional law, and prepare sound legal opinions.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, including working closely with code enforcement officials through the preparation and prosecution of civil claims.
Research legal issues through various computer programs and applications.
Interact with elected officials, City administration, defendants/property owners, and the general public.

EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED:

Specific:
(Illustrative only. Any one position within this classification may not include all of the duties listed nor do the listed examples include all of the tasks which may be performed.)

Litigation:
Prepare, review, and edit legal pleadings, briefs, and discovery, including review of responses to discovery; arguing motions before a wide variety of jurists, including before administrative boards; experience with taking and defending depositions; and experiencing prosecuting or defending cases at trial.

General:
Research legal questions and evaluate the impact on City policies and procedures; assist various code enforcement personnel and departments.
On-site inspection of properties with code enforcement officials, including inspection of blighted, vacant properties with substantial code violations.
Provide various written legal opinions to City departments.
Appear in court and administrative proceedings to represent the City's interests as required.
Coordinate office activities with those of other departments, outside agencies and organizations; provide staff assistance to the City Solicitor; prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence.
Review legal publications to keep abreast of current legal issues and cases; attend seminars to keep abreast of new laws.
Prepare various legal memoranda and correspondence.
Work with community stakeholders to problem-solve blighted properties.
Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.





Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited academic institution.
Currently licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio.

Desirable qualifications:
Experience working with a team of attorneys and a wide variety of clientele.
Experience working within or closely with a governmental organization or other complex organization.
Experience litigating in a wide variety of state and federal courts.

Please attach your resume and letter of interest to your application.

Environmental Conditions: Work in an office and court room setting; may be exposed to hostile individuals; exposure to computer screens; work closely with others.

Physical Conditions: Duties require maintaining physical condition necessary for standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time.