Senior Assistant City Attorney

The City of Lakewood is dedicated to upholding City values to include: Performance Excellence, Leadership, Respect and Collaboration. Best fit candidates will demonstrate innovation, customer service, dedication, passion and engagement. All people, citizens and employees, will be treated with respect, relevance, and importance.

Apply by: 5/23/2024

PAY RANGE: $137,862.40-$179,067.20 annually

Assists the City Attorney in providing legal representation and advice to the City of Lakewood, as an entity, including City Council, City Manager, City boards and commissions and City staff.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job and other projects and responsibilities may be added at the Citys discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential duties of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Attends meetings of the City Council and other City boards and commissions as scheduled or as needed. Many of these meetings occur after 5:00 p.m.
• Conducts legal research and drafts legal opinions for City Council, City boards and commissions and Staff.
• Interprets laws, rulings, and regulations and explains same to City officials and employees.
• Provides legal advice to City Council, city departments and officials, and various city boards and commissions.
• Prepares ordinances, resolutions, contracts, policies, procedures, regulations, municipal codes, intergovernmental agreements, and all other documents as directed by City Attorney.
• Negotiates, reviews, and advises upon city contracts and other legal documents for legal sufficiency and potential legal implications.
• Identifies potential and actual legal issues raised by City laws, regulations, policies/practices and recommends actions to address such issues.
• Represents the City in negotiations and in administrative and court proceedings.
• Provides legal guidance to City staff in responding to requests under the Colorado Open Records Act.
• Provides legal training to agents and employees of the City to better recognize liability issues and concerns.
• Responsible for knowing and complying with all city and department policies, participating in professional trainings and development, and adhering to attendance and workplace attire policies.
• Participates in policy development.
• Provides work direction and mentorship to other attorneys and staff within the City Attorneys Office.

TASKS/FUNCTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE LITIGATION MANAGER JOB ASSIGNMENT

In addition to all provisions set forth within the Senior Assistant Attorney job description, the Senior Assistant City Attorney assigned the role of Litigation Manager shall be responsible for the following job specific tasks:

• High Level Management of Claims & Litigation, including the responsibility to manage, develop, and direct legal strategy, legal positions and factual positions of the City on all active litigation.
• Provide high level supervision of outside legal counsel engaged in representing the City or its constituent entities in important litigation and administrative proceedings.
• Discuss strategies, legal positions, and factual positions with assigned counsel.
• Monitor timelines and work progress to ensure work is completed on time.
• Prepare responses to court pleadings and motions, including pleadings, motions, and briefs;
• Appear in federal, state or municipal court on behalf of the City.
• Review, revise, and comment upon pleadings, motions, and briefs written by subordinate attorneys.
• Mentor subordinate attorneys to appropriately represent the City in response to civil litigation at the State level.
• Participate in administrative hearings as needed on behalf of the City Attorney;
• Participate in mediation on behalf of City.
• Support those divisions of the City that often require litigation advice and support, including sales and use task division of finance, HR in their capacity of responding to unemployment claims, EEOC claims, and other similar administrative claims.
• When appropriate shall ascertain scope of settlement authority and settle claims up to those approved limits.
• Perform highly responsible legal work relating to City business and operations, including negotiation of major contract agreements.
• Provide training to City staff regarding appropriately recognizing and responding to situations that are likely to result in liability to the City.
• Other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships

Supervision Received: City Attorney

Supervision Exercised: None

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of laws, regulations, and statutory obligations for municipalities in the State of Colorado.
• Knowledge of the principles and procedures of municipal, civil, business law, and constitutional law.
• Knowledge of the principal methods, materials, and practices of legal research and investigation.
• Knowledge of judicial procedure and Colorado and federal rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of local ordinances, state and federal laws, and constitutional provisions affecting municipal operations.
• Ability to work in a confidential manner with, and on behalf of, the City Attorney, and all agents or employees of the City as directed.
• Ability to skillfully represent the City in court at the State and local level, or in an administrative hearing, including employment related matters.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret complex legal documents.
• Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Ability to make oral presentations to city departments, work groups, boards and commissions, and City Council.
• Ability and willingness to attend evening and/or weekend meetings.
• Ability to exercise judgment in selecting the most pertinent guidelines to interpret precedents, adapt standard practices to differing situations, and recommend alternative actions in unprecedented situations.
• Ability to monitor developments in the law for potential impact upon functions of municipal government and advise accordingly.
• Ability to perform work in an accurate and efficient manner without supervision.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Requires the ability to work accurately and efficiently with frequent interruptions.
• Knowledge of modern policies and practices of public administration.
• Ability to analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and legal precedents and to prepare, present and argue such material effectively in legal pleadings and before the courts.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, employees, private citizens, officials, and the public.

Technological Skills

• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.

Education and Experience

• Education: Graduation with a Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law
• Experience: Seven years experience in the active practice of law; government legal experience preferred. Five years experience working with a governmental entity within a City Attorneys Office, Attorney Generals Office, or District Attorneys Office.

Certification/Licenses/Specialized Training

• License to practice law in the State of Colorado
• Federal District Court, Colorado preferred.
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Must successfully complete and maintain required state or departmental physical standards and certifications.

LIGHT WORK: Exerting up to 30 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for Light Work

Physical Demands

• Bend or position self to move items from higher place to lower place or vice versa
• Sit, stand or be stationary
• Talk, hear, converse, communicate, or exchange information
• Use of hands and/or fingers in a repetitive motion to handle, pinch, grasp, move, feel, and inspect, etc.
• Walk, ascend, descend on both even and uneven terrain
• Vision to include distance, depth perception, peripheral and color

Environmental Conditions may include

• Office settings

Physical Requirements No Physical Needed

• Lift, carry, push, pull, move, or positions from all levels up to 30 lbs with or without assistance

The City of Lakewood is a drug-free workplace that provides employment opportunities in compliance with all pertinent federal, state, and local laws. All Lakewood employees are expected to work and complete all tasks in a safe manner consistent with training, standard operating procedures, City or Department policies, and common sense. Working in a safe manner includes the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and complying with all City and/or Department safety rules. Horseplay on-the-job is strictly forbidden. The failure to work in a safe manner, use PPE, follow standard operating procedure, or comply with a safety rule will result adverse employment consequences ranging from verbal discipline to termination from employment, including any applicable reduction in benefits under the Colorado Workers Compensation Act. Employees are also expected to encourage safe work practices by all co-employees, and to report any unsafe work practices immediately to a supervisor.

The City of Lakewood celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion in all areas of our workforce. Accordingly, the city is committed to creating, nurturing and sustaining a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our community and employees.