Municipal Law Division Chief at City of Compton, CA

About the Department

The Municipal Law Division Chief serves as the primary legal advisor to the municipality, including elected officials, City Manager, administrative departments, and boards. This role ensures that all municipal actions are legally sound and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The Municipal Law Division Chief also represents the municipality in legal proceedings and manages legal affairs of the City. The Municipal Law Division Chief also coordinates matters with the Special Legal Counsel.

Position Duties

An incumbent of this class is a department head under the administrative direction of the Mayor and City Council, with responsibility for policy development, program planning, fiscal management, administration, and operational direction of the Legal/Law Division/Department. The incumbent is responsible for accomplishing department objectives and goals within guidelines established by the Mayor and City Council, and exercise supervision over subordinate professional, technical and support personnel.

Minimum Qualifications

The following essential functions are those that are critical, integral, necessary, crucial, primary and fundamental to the job. Incumbents who possess the requisite skill, experience, education, and other job-related requirements of a position are expected to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Lead and oversee all legal aspects of municipal governance with accountability to the Mayor and City Council.
• Provide legal advice and interpretation of laws, statutes, regulations, and ordinances to elected officials, city departments, boards, and commissions.
• Draft, review, and approve complex contracts, ordinances, resolutions, policies, and other legal documents involving high-value or high-risk municipal interests.
• Represent the municipality in high-stakes civil litigation, administrative hearings, and negotiations; manage and evaluate performance of outside counsel.
• Ensure strict legal compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws across all municipal operations, including emerging regulatory areas.
• Advise on advanced legal issues including constitutional law, municipal finance, labor and employment law, land use and zoning, and risk management.
• Attend and provide strategic counsel at city council meetings, committee sessions, closed sessions, and public hearings.
• Monitor, interpret, and recommend responses to proposed legislation and evolving legal standards affecting municipal operations.
• Develop, manage, and forecast the Legal Department/Division budget; ensure alignment with organizational goals and financial constraints.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate performance of legal staff; ensure continuous professional development and legal compliance.

Other Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Admission to the California State Bar and active membership in good standing.
• Minimum of twelve (12) years of progressively responsible experience practicing municipal law, including at least five (5) years in a senior legal leadership role supervising attorneys and legal staff in a public agency.
• Minimum of three (3) years providing legal counsel directly to elected officials or executive municipal leadership, including advising during closed sessions, legislative processes, and high-impact municipal decisions.
• Demonstrated experience managing outside legal counsel and coordinating complex legal matters across multiple departments.
• Substantial experience with complex municipal transactions, such as land use redevelopment agreements, public-private partnerships, and municipal finance instruments (e.g., bond counsel).
• Experience litigating high-stakes matters in state and federal courts, including constitutional or civil rights claims.
• In-depth knowledge and application of California municipal law, including the Brown Act, California Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, conflict of interest laws, and related regulatory frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience managing a departmental budget of $2 million or more and direct supervision of five (5) or more full-time legal personnel.
• Completion of specialized public law training or certification (e.g., League of California Cities, ICMA, or equivalent) within the past five (5) years.
• Preferred: Possession of a Certified Public Manager (CPM) credential, LL.M. in Public or Administrative Law, or other comparable executive legal or public management training.

Key Competencies:

• Superior written and oral communication skills, including the ability to convey complex legal concepts to non-legal audiences.
• Advanced analytical and critical thinking skills; ability to synthesize legal, political, and operational considerations in decision-making.

• High ethical standards, professional integrity, and commitment to public service.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, prioritize competing demands, and exercise sound legal and strategic judgment under pressure.
• Proficient in investigative strategies, risk assessment, negotiation, and legal compliance review.
• Experienced in litigation advocacy across multiple forums (civil, administrative, and appellate); skilled in managing complex caseloads.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing multidisciplinary teams and delegating authority effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships across departments, elected bodies, external agencies, and the public.
• Adaptability in a dynamic municipal environment with rapidly shifting legal and political landscapes.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development in emerging areas of municipal law and public sector management.

Required Licenses and/or Certifications: 

• Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License required.

Physical Demands/Work Environment: 

• Work is performed indoors in an office setting.  
• Work requires frequent light lifting, carrying and on occasion driving.  
• Moderate finger dexterity and near vision is required.  
• May be exposed to minor amounts of dust.
• Primarily office environment with attendance required at meetings during or outside regular business hours.
• Occasional travel for conferences or court appearances may be required.

Internal applicants must use their personal email to apply, as City of Compton work emails will not be accepted for job applications. While we cannot prevent applicants from using their work email, the City is not responsible for missed communications due to system outages, firewall restrictions, employee leave, or any other technical or accessibility issues affecting City email accounts.
 
All applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for the position and submit all required documents -such as licenses, certifications, and proof of education- outlined in the job posting. Incomplete applications, including those missing any required documentation, will not be considered. 
 
Please note: Only the first 50 applications received that meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to continue in the hiring process.
 
 EXAMINATION 
The purpose of this examination is to establish an eligible list from which vacant position(s) may be filled.
Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the examination and interview process.

Phase one (1) is an oral examination (weighted 100%) that will be administered by an appraisal panel to evaluate professional qualifications, background and suitability.  The oral examination may include graded simulation exercises, writing exercises, and oral presentations. A passing score for the oral exam is 70%. Each candidate will be notified via mail or e-mail.

The City of Compton reserves the right to utilize alternative testing methods, if deemed necessary. Failure in one phase of the examination shall be grounds for declaring the applicant as failing in the entire examination, and as disqualified for subsequent parts of an examination.

GENERAL INFORMATION TO EXAMINATION APPLICANTS
The City of Compton does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or provisions of services.

Applicants with disabilities who require special testing arrangements must give advanced notice to the Human Resources Department prior to the final filing date.

ELIGIBLE LISTS
Recruitment may be conducted on a (a) promotional basis, (b) open-competitive basis, or (c) promotional and open-competitive basis simultaneously. All candidates who attain an overall score of at least 70.00 (open-competitive) and at least 75.00 (promotional) will be placed in rank order on the relevant eligible list(s).

PLEASE NOTE:
All permanent City employees that attain an overall score of at least 75.00 will be placed on both the promotional eligible list and the open-competitive eligible list.  All City employees that attain a score of 70.00 on EACH PHASE of the examination but an overall score of less than 75.00 will be placed on the open-competitive eligible list only.

Each eligible list shall remain in effect one (1) year from the date of its establishment unless it is extended, abolished or exhausted. Whenever possible, three (3) names are certified to fill any one (1) vacant position. No candidate may be certified more than three (3) times for any one classified position. When certifying eligible lists to appointing powers, the promotional eligible list takes precedence over the open-competitive eligible list. A department manager's recommendation for employment is subject to the City Manager's approval.

EXAMINATION APPEAL PROCEDURE
A candidate may, within five (5) days after taking the written examination, file in writing with the City Manager an appeal against any part of the test, citing the item or items against which the appeal is directed, and the reason(s) for such appeal. The Personnel Board will consider appeals from the decisions and ratings of qualifications appraisals (interview) boards if such appeals meet the conditions described in the Personnel Rules and Regulations (Section 6.8).

EXAMINATION RECORDS
All examination papers, including the employment application, resume, and other attachments submitted by candidates are the property of the Personnel Board and are confidential records which may be open to inspection only for purposes and under conditions established by the Personnel Board.

VETERAN’S PREFERENCE
In all entrance examinations (open-competitive only) for positions in the Classified Service, veterans who served in the armed forces of the United States during time(s) of war, and who attain an overall passing score in the examination are allowed additional preferential credit in accordance with the Personnel Rules and Regulations. In order to claim veterans' credit, the applicant must submit proof of service and honorable discharge (showing specific dates of service) on a U.S. Military form (DD-214) at the time of application or not later than the final filing date for the examination.

FRINGE BENEFITS
The City's comprehensive fringe benefits program includes: retirement (Public Employees' Retirement System), medical, dental, life and vision insurances, deferred compensation, sick and vacation leaves, after-hours education reimbursement, ride share program, uniform allowance and other provisions.