ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY I

JOB DESCRIPTION CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DEPARTMENT

Compensation Details:

SALARY RANGE

• $102,000
• $134,000 DOQ GRADE
• 34N This is highly responsible, professional legal work providing legal analysis and advice to the City Attorney, City Commissioners, the City's Administrative Staff and various City boards, and committees.

The position regularly involves preparing for and conducting code enforcement hearings, providing legal guidance to Building, Planning, and Code Compliance divisions, and ensuring compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Responsibilities will vary depending on the departments to which the attorney is assigned and depending on the needs of the office and skills of the candidate. The Assistant City Attorney I is expected to attend and advise at board and committee meetings, including providing legal counsel on quasi-judicial procedures and Robert's Rules of Order to ensure proper governance and decision-making. Duties also include drafting legal documents, representing the City in litigation and administrative proceedings, and coordinating with outside counsel as necessary. General direction is received from the City Attorney; however, the employee is expected to exercise considerable initiative and independent professional judgment in developing the technical aspects of the job. Candidate is expected to be a self-starter and will be provided with training opportunities for the various disciplines in the office.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

(Without Accommodations) : Able to read, write, speak and understand English in order to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to co-workers, City officials and the general public accurately and concisely. Able to see and hear well enough to perform the duties of this job description. Able to work at least a forty (40) hour work week and evenings when assigned. Computer literate. Able to move about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. City Hall is a fully ADA compliant facility. Able to use equipment and/or materials as specified in this job description. Able to use legal research resources in researching appropriate responses to legal questions.

EQUIPMENT TO BE USED

Personal computer equipment with various business-related software, Word, Windows, telephone, copy and fax machine.

ENVIRONMENT

The Legal Department/City Attorney's Office is comprised of 4 attorneys, a paralegal and a legal assistant. There are occasions when outside counsel is retained. The successful candidate would also need to coordinate with outside counsel as appropriate and deemed necessary by the City Attorney. Work deals with regularly making decisions that could lead to major community or organizational consequences if an employee fails to make the appropriate decision at the time. Key West is a very small community of approximately 29,000 permanent residents. The community is very in tune and connected with local government. While the City Attorney's Office does not provide legal advice to the general public, it is necessary at times to meet with various groups or individuals regarding legal issues on items of interest to the community, at the direction of the City Attorney. All applicants must also fully understand and appreciate the extraordinarily high cost of living in Key West and Monroe County and either already have housing or a solid plan to secure same. The City of Key West has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The City of Key West does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, or military service in employment or the provision of services. Empleador de Igualdad de

Oportunidades:

El Ciudad de Cayo Hueso no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, género, religión, edad, discapacidad o servicio militar en el empleo o la prestación de servicios. Veterans Preference according to Florida State Statute 295.07: Certain service members and veterans, and the spouses and family members of the servicemembers and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment by the state and are encouraged to apply for the positions being filled . Preferencia de Veteranos de acuerdo con el Estatuto del Estado de Florida 295.07: Ciertos miembros del servicio y veteranos, y los cónyuges y familiares de los miembros del servicio y veteranos, reciben preferencia y prioridad en el empleo por parte del estado y se les alienta a solicitar los puestos que se están llenando. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Standing 15% Reaching 10% Walking 10% Bending 5% Sitting 60%

DUTIES/TASKS/JOBS

Draft resolutions, ordinances, contracts, restrictive covenants, easements, and other legal documents, as determined by the City Attorney. Review legal documents and instruments for assigned City departments to assure completeness of information and conformance to applicable laws, rules, precedents, and procedures. Research complex legal issues of concern to the City Attorney, City Commission, City departments, boards and constitutional officers. Conduct legal research, analyze, and summarize information on statutes, legal decisions, opinions, rulings, codes, and ordinances. Advise City Commissioners, City Administration, City Boards, and staff on legal issues. Counsel on a regular, recurring basis the Department Heads and staff of the departments to which the attorney has been assigned. Prepare for and conduct code enforcement hearings, including presentation of cases, examination of witnesses, and preparation of recommended orders or findings. Provide legal advice and support related to code enforcement proceedings, building regulations, permitting issues, and compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Attend and provide legal counsel at meetings of the City Commission, boards, committees, and other governmental agencies, as assigned by the City Attorney. Serve as legal advisor to boards and committees, providing guidance on applicable law, quasi-judicial procedures, and Robert's Rules of Order to ensure proper meeting conduct and decision-making. Coordinate with other local, county, state, or federal agencies to collaborate on legal issues. Attend meetings of the City Commission, boards, and other governmental agencies, as assigned by the City Attorney. Represent the city at county, circuit, and district court, administrative hearings, public hearings, and closed sessions. Represent the city in legal matters, including the bringing and defending of suits and negotiating settlements. Represent the city before various local and state departments and other governmental entities. Provide legal counsel for management, and policy-making of advisory boards in the conduct of their duties. Independently prepare pleadings, discovery documents, motions, briefs, and other legal documents in matters involving litigation and of substantial importance; obtain and evaluate expert testimony; participate in settlement negotiations and serve as trial counsel for the City when needed. Assist in the coordination, conduct and supervision of litigation cases involving assigned departments. Examine and analyze complaints and evidence of alleged or suspected violations of laws or regulations in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and City of Key West Code. Supervise and coordinate assignments of subordinate employees including determining work procedures and deadlines. Respond to or advise staff on responses to public records requests.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/ SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Licensed in the state of Florida.

Special Qualifications:

Prior experience working for a government entity preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Considerable knowledge of local, state, and Federal statutory law. Ability to communicate effectively and concisely with the public, and before various city boards during public and televised meetings. Thorough knowledge and skill in statutory interpretation and legal analysis. Considerable knowledge of the sources and availability of current legal decisions, opinions, rulings, and statutes. Ability to conduct thorough legal research and draft various legal documents. Ability to analyze issues and recommend solutions in assigned fields of law in keeping with the priorities of the City Attorney, City Commission, and its boards. Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete under time constraints. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Ability to organize and prepare cases for litigation, as necessary. Ability to conduct trials, appeals, hearings, and proceedings, when required. Ability to effectively provide legal advice to city elected officials, department heads and staff in multiple areas. Ability to maintain positive working relationships with all levels of Administration and staff, local municipalities, and other governmental agencies to successfully meet the goals and objectives of the city and commitment to public service.

ABOUT US

In Key West, we are fortunate to live and work on a beautiful island that celebrates and honors our local heritage and cultural identity. We are proud of our core value that all people are created equal members of one human family. Our City Manager responds to the needs of the public and staff by proactively seeking feedback while acting as a liaison among the various departments of the government, the citizens of Key West and the city commission. We are thankful to our elected officials, visitors and residents who prove on a daily basis how important our job is to help lead the City of Key West towards a stronger and more resilient island. We look forward to you joining our team!