Deputy City Attorney - Procurement & Construction

Job Appointment: Full Time, At Will.
This position is exempt from Civil Service and is an "At Will" position. It serves at the discretion of the hiring authority, subject to the City of Portland Human Resources Administrative Rules and the Portland City Charter and Code.

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8 am-5 pm. An alternate schedule may be available.

Work Location: 1221 SW 4TH AVE, PORTLAND OR 97204

Union Representation: This classification was recently recognized as represented by AFSCME-189. Terms and Conditions are currently being negotiated. To view labor agreements, current and future, please visit the Current City Labor Agreements page.

Starting Pay: The City of Portland follows the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.

Position Summary:
The Portland City Attorney’s Office seeks an attorney with at least four years of experience as a transactional attorney in the areas of procurement and construction (capital improvements), to include general advice work for governmental clients or private entity clients that engage in public contracting.

Typical work includes construction contract review, ongoing project-related advice, including public contracting requirements, state and local procurement laws, environmental compliance and risk management, pre-claim dispute resolution, bid protests, contractor claims, mediation proceedings, and insurance coverage assessments. This position may also include other work as assigned by the City Attorney. This position will at times involve close work with litigation attorneys if disputes result in litigation.

The City of Portland requires candidates have a commitment to racial equity as applied to legal analysis, policy, and institutional systems.

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

1. A minimum of 4 years’ transactional law experience as a licensed attorney, including experience with commercial construction and/or real estate transactions, or other combination of experience demonstrating a capacity to perform the essential functions of the position.
2. A Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
3. Oregon State Bar Membership, in good standing, or membership in good standing in the Bar of another jurisdiction, with the ability to obtain Oregon State Bar Membership. 
4. Excellent communication skills.
5. Excellent writing ability.
6. Proficiency in time and case management.

An ideal candidate will have experience in or knowledge of:

• construction litigation
• state and local contracting and procurement requirements;
• municipal law;
•  business and workforce equity programs in construction contracting; and
• alternative contracting methods including construction manager/general contractor, design-build and progressive design-build.

How to Apply:

Submit your resume, a cover letter, and supplemental attachment by the closing date in accordance with the following instructions:

• Cover Letter: Competitive candidates will provide details in their cover letter addressing current practice areas, ratio of transactional, advice, and litigation work in their current practice, unique or sophisticated transactions that may highlight level of experience and expertise, and how they meet the ideal candidate qualities in the above position description.

• Resume: Your resume should support the details described in your cover letter and include all experience that is directly related and equivalent to the position. Note: Do not include your age, date of birth, or the dates you attended or graduated from school. Only provide this information if it is specifically requested to meet job requirements or to follow federal, state, or local laws or rules.

• Supplemental Attachment: In addition to the cover letter and resume, submit a separate statement in 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 from diverse backgrounds and identities.
  • Situations in which you have taken action to address or help resolve unlawful discrimination, racial inequities, and other disparities based on protected class status.
  • Steps you have taken to make workplaces and/or public spaces more inclusive and welcoming for all persons.
  • Advocacy or support to all communities, including those that may be underrepresented in their participation of government decision-making.

• (Optional) Submit Veterans’ Preference documents, if applicable. 
   If this is your first time applying with the City of Portland, or if you haven’t requested veteran preference before (and would like to now), please attach your DD214-Member 4 and/or VA Benefit Letter to your application. Once we verify your eligibility, we’ll record your veteran preference in our system, so it automatically applies to your future applications.
• Click here for application tips for resume, supplemental question response and/or cover letter.

What to Expect:

1. Application Review - (Week of November 2): We'll review your application materials to ensure you meet the minimum qualifications listed above.
2. Notice/Feedback - (Week of November 9): You will receive an email when the minimum qualification review is complete. If you disagree with the evaluation results, you may request a review within 14 days of the email notice, per City Administrative Rule 3.01.
3. Selection Process - (mid-November to early December): The hiring bureau will review qualified applications, conduct interviews, and check references.
4. Conditional Job Offer - (Mid / Late December):Final candidates may undergo a background or driving record check, depending on the position.

Learn More About:

• How to Apply Videos and Workshops
• City of Portland Core Values
• HRAR-3.01 - Recruitment Processes
• Veteran Preference Information
• Total Compensation and Benefits
• Language Pay Differential Eligibility

 We’re committed to providing a fair, inclusive, and accessible hiring process. If you need assistance with your application or would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, pregnancy, or religious belief, please contact the recruiter listed below.

Questions? We're here to help!
 If you have questions about this recruitment or need assistance, contact:

Tamela Ressler, Senior Recruiter
[email protected] 
Bureau of Human Resources