Assistant City Attorney III - Litigation

The purpose of this job is to provide advanced professional legal services on issues and projects of importance to the City. Depending on assigned area(s), this job may involve litigation, municipal affairs, and/or ordinance enforcement. Position will have increased autonomy, depth of knowledge, and gaining of special areas of expertise from that of Assistant City Attorney II. Position will also provide support and guidance to Assistant City Attorneys I and II in everyday duties and responsibilities. 

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. The Department of Law is divided into three Divisions representing three primary areas of service to the City: Municipal Affairs, Civil Litigation, and Ordinance Enforcement. Although attorneys may be assigned work in more than one service area, not all attorneys will perform all of these duties.  

THIS POSITION IS IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION:

• Acts as trial and appellate counsel handling litigation duties for matters of routine to moderate complexity on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court, and before state and local administrative and judicial bodies
• Investigates and processes personal injury and property claims through the City’s internal administrative process 
• Answers complex tax petitions and manages litigation through pleadings, hearings, and motions, and processes tax exemption requests and disputes involving payments in lieu of taxes 
• Manages and assists outside counsel in prosecuting and defending lawsuits on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court

Required Education and Experience

• Juris Doctorate

--AND--

• At least six (6) years of experience as a licensed attorney 

--OR--

• Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities

Required Licenses or Certifications

• Licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan, or licensed in another state, with the ability to become licensed within a reasonable time 

Knowledge of:

• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment
• Legal terminology and court rules and  procedures
• Principles and practices of basic bookkeeping
• Principles, methods, materials and practices of legal research, including use of electronic research methods
• Various State and Federal law, common law and State and Federal regulations
• Applicable court procedure and rules of evidence 
• Local government structure and operation, city policies and procedures, and the City's relationships to other public jurisdictions

Skill in:

• Interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships with executive, elected, and other high-level officials
• Performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature
• Performing basic mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and ratios
• Preparing and presenting complex legal matters
• Verbal and written communication
• Investigation and research
• Negotiation and dispute resolution
• Risk assessment and management 
• Development of organization-wide strategic planning and policy 

Ability to:

• Meet schedules and deadlines of the work
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files
• Maintain the confidentiality of information and professional boundaries
• Identify, preserve, collate and analyze legal, complex or voluminous documents
• Understand complex legal issues and identify areas for investigation
• Conduct research on complex problems and prepare opinions