Assistant City Attorney II/Senior Assistant City Attorney chez City of Orange, CA

About the Department

JOIN THE CITY OF ORANGE AS AN ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY OR SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY!

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general direction from the City Attorney. May exercise direct supervision over assigned legal support staff.

Position Duties

• Provides legal counsel to the City Council, City Manager, City departments, boards, commissions, and committees on a wide range of municipal law issues, as assigned by the City Attorney, including housing, land use, zoning, redevelopment, real estate, public works, community services, public records requests, and Brown Act compliance.
• Drafts, reviews, and revises ordinances, resolutions, contracts, deeds, leases, development agreements, affordable housing agreements, interagency cooperative agreements, and other legal documents.
• Advises on compliance with state housing mandates, including SB 9, SB 35, Housing Accountability Act, Surplus Land Act, Density Bonus Law, and fair housing obligations.
• Advises and represents the City in planning and land use matters, including General Plan and zoning consistency, subdivision approvals, historic preservation, CEQA compliance, and environmental review.
• Supports redevelopment successor agency functions, including implementation of the Long-Range Property Management Plan and related property transactions.
• Provides legal support for the City’s responses to California Public Records Act requests, including review of responsive records, application of exemptions, and guidance to departments on compliance.
• Staffs and represents the City Attorney’s Office at the Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, and other City boards, commissions, or committees, ensuring compliance with the Brown Act.
• Negotiates and resolves disputes involving property transactions, development projects, claims, and other City business.
• Performs legal research and prepares written and oral opinions.
• Assists in developing departmental policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Provides guidance and training to City staff on assigned subject areas, including land use, housing, public records, and the Brown Act.
• Performs other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Legal principles and procedures involving housing, redevelopment, zoning, land use, CEQA, Surplus Land Act, real estate transactions, public records compliance, and the conduct of City boards and commissions.
• State housing mandates and successor agency/redevelopment law.
• California Public Records Act and applicable exemptions.
• Ralph M. Brown Act and open meeting law requirements.
• Federal, state, and local statutes and ordinances applicable to municipal law, including contracts.
• Administrative hearing practices and rules of evidence.
• Methods of legal research and drafting.
• Principles of negotiation and dispute resolution.
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, developers, community groups, and professional organizations.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.

• Provide clear and practical legal advice to City officials and staff.
• Analyze, interpret, and apply housing, land use, redevelopment, CEQA, Surplus Land Act, public records, and Brown Act laws to complex projects and disputes.
• Draft legally sound contracts, ordinances, and policies.
• Represent the City effectively in administrative forums and courts on limited matters related to assigned areas.
• Assist with and advise on City responses to California Public Records Act requests.
• Provide legal staffing and advice to the Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, and other City boards and commissions, ensuring Brown Act compliance.
• Negotiate and resolve disputes in housing, land use, and property transactions.
• Conduct thorough legal research and prepare persuasive written and oral opinions.
• Work effectively under pressure, balancing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Establish and maintain positive and cooperative working relationships with City staff, officials, and external partners.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Assistant City Attorney II:

• Equivalent to a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school, with coursework or experience in municipal law, housing, land use, environmental, public records, Brown Act, or related fields.
• Three (3) years of professional legal experience in municipal law.

Senior Assistant City Attorney:

• Equivalent to a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school, with demonstrated expertise in municipal law.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional legal experience in municipal law, with substantial exposure to housing, land use, redevelopment successor agency, CEQA, Surplus Land Act, public records, Brown Act, and staffing of boards/commissions.

• Active license to practice law in the State of California.
• Valid California Class C driver license with satisfactory driving record and proof of automobile insurance, or ability to arrange alternate transportation at the time of appointment and throughout employment in the position.

Other Qualifications

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle and to visit various City and meeting sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, typewriter keyboard, or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds with the use of proper equipment.

Working Conditions:

This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee’s physical presence at the workplace. May be required to work various shifts, including, but not limited to, early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, at a variety of City locations.

Environmental Elements:

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels and controlled temperature conditions; but may occasionally work in the field and be exposed to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, road hazards, vibration, mechanical and/or electrical hazards, and hazardous physical substances and fumes. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Disaster Service Worker:

All employees of the City of Orange are designated by both State law and City ordinance to be “Disaster Service Workers.” In the event of a declared emergency or any undeclared emergency or natural disaster that threatens the life, health and/or safety of the public, employees may be assigned to assist rescue and relief workers. Such assignments may be in locations, during hours and performing work significantly different from the employees’ normal work assignments and may continue through the recovery phase of the emergency.   

City Mission, Vision, and Values: