Deputy City Attorney I/II | Assistant City Attorney | Chief Assistant City Attorney - Apply by Wednesday, October 16, 2024, for first consideration (20547548)

Deputy City Attorney I/II | Assistant City Attorney | Chief Assistant City Attorney

$11,504 to $13,983 monthly | $138,048 to $167,796 annually – Deputy City Attorney I

$12,683 to $15,417 monthly | $152,196 - $185,004 annually – Deputy City Attorney II

$14,908 to $18,121 monthly | $178,896 - $217,452 annually – Assistant City Attorney

$17,145 to $20,893 monthly | $205,740 - $250,716 annually – Chief Assistant City Attorney

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Apply by Wednesday, October 16, 2024, for first consideration

SUMMARY
The City is seeking to fill one key position at either the Deputy City Attorney I/II, Chief Assistant City Attorney, or an Assistant City Attorney classification/level. The successful candidate in the position will be joining the City’s passionate and skilled mid-management or executive team that inspires creative thinking and engagement, proactively pursues actions to ensure that San Rafael continues to be an amazing place to be, provides effective and easy access to City services, and supports work-life balance. If you are looking for a career where you can work in a fast-paced and positive environment, initiate and manage exciting projects, and be part of a dynamic leadership team, then this is the perfect opportunity for you!

THE COMMUNITY

Marin County’s first incorporated City, San Rafael lies midway between San Francisco and California’s famous Sonoma and Napa wine countries. With a population of approximately 60,000, San Rafael serves as the county seat and is the premier economic, financial, cultural, and service center. The City offers both a small-town feel and a lively urban atmosphere. Famous for its favorable climate, San Rafael makes a central base for taking day trips to scenic locations such as the Sonoma/Napa wine country, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Muir Woods. Surrounded by open space and the bay, San Rafael is a vibrant city in an incomparably beautiful natural setting.

San Rafael has a varied and rich economy fueled by high tech, entertainment, financial, service-oriented businesses, and industrial businesses. The City is home to major employers such as BioMarin and Kaiser Permanente and offers residents and visitors alike an array of regional retailers in addition to unique local shops. San Rafael is also one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in Marin County. The City’s residential neighborhoods are distinctive, each with its own history, character, and identity. There is a wide diversity of housing, and the City is committed to creating and maintaining housing that is affordable to low/moderate income residents, the general workforce, families, and older adults. 

THE ORGANIZATION

Welcome to the City of San Rafael, the “City with a Mission!” The City of San Rafael has an outstanding team of public servants who pride themselves on delivering quality and customer focused services to the community. In 2022, the City was voted one of the top three Best Places to Work in local government by ELGL, a nationally recognized organization in the United States. The City was recognized for its cross-departmental work that is key to advancing community programs and projects. A strong emphasis on innovation, equity, and a commitment to providing ongoing learning opportunities to staff are just some of the perks that make San Rafael the Best Place to Work!

The City Council is highly engaged and seeks to: strengthen and promote the urban and commercial areas; facilitate measures to develop new, needed housing; be in the forefront on sustainability and planning for climate change; and protect the beautiful, natural environment that is part of the community setting. The City of San Rafael is a full-service charter city and functions under a City Council/City Manager form of government and has an annual budget for fiscal year 2023-24 of $172 million, with over 400 employees. City departments include the City Manager’s Office, City Attorney, City Clerk, Finance, Human Resources, Community Development, Fire, Library and Recreation, Police, Economic Development, and Public Works.

THE JOB

At the helm of the City’s legal leadership is a part-time elected City Attorney, Rob Epstein, who has served for seventeen years as San Rafael’s City Attorney with dedication and expertise. An elected City Attorney is fairly rare (a total of 10 statewide) and the part-time position is even more unique. For many years, this distinctive structure has delivered an effective combination of elected political leadership with professional legal support for the City. In this model, the elected City Attorney sits as a trusted counterpart to the elected City Council, providing both legal advice and political leadership.

In addition to the elected part-time City Attorney, the City’s legal office is comprised of two full-time attorneys and one legal assistant. The legal team has been known for its collegial, respectful, and inclusive environment. The City Attorney’s Office also oversees and collaborates with various outside legal counsel, focusing on areas such as land development, human resources, tort litigation, and labor negotiations. 

Due to the part-time nature of the position, the elected City Attorney does not manage or oversee the daily operations of the City’s legal affairs. Instead, this responsibility falls to a strong Chief Assistant/Assistant City Attorney, who provides operational leadership and management. While the elected City Attorney offers high-level legal oversight and representation, the Chief Assistant/Assistant City Attorney and support staff handle the bulk of the legal work, ensuring the City’s legal needs are met efficiently and effectively. The Deputy City Attorney will also work with departments to draft and review contracts, agreements, and other legal documents for daily operations, provide legal support and guidance on PRAs, and conducts legal research and prepares reports or memoranda, and make recommendations to the elected City Attorney. This structure balances the benefits of elected accountability and experience with the necessity of onsite professional legal expertise in managing the City’s legal affairs.

Deputy City Attorney I/II

This classification is part of the Mid-Management employee group, a team of highly qualified and dedicated individuals who work under general direction and supervision of their department Directors. Essential responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Consults with and provides legal advice to staff in various departments of the Cit. It is anticipated that that a key role of the new attorney will be to consult and support Human Resources with Labor Relations, Discipline, Investigations, ADA, and EEO issues, while also representing and consulting with other client departments.
• Reviews staff reports and advises staff on complex and controversial legal matters.
• Drafts and reviews ordinances, resolutions, contracts, deeds, leases and other legal documents and instruments.
• Represents the City at various City Council, commission and community meetings.
• Performs legal research and prepares opinions on various legal issues for City departments.
• Represents the City in civil and some criminal matters in both state and federal court and in administrative proceedings.
• Represents the City in arbitration hearings.

Assistant City Attorney and Chief Assistant City Attorney
Both classifications are executive management positions under the general direction and supervision of the part-time elected City Attorney. There is a high level of direct communication, coordination, and collaboration with the City Manager and two Assistant City Managers. Both classifications would be part of the City’s executive leadership team and support the City Manager’s Office directly.

Assistant City Attorney

Executive & Operational Management

The Assistant City Attorney focuses on delivering and overseeing the City’s legal services and providing direct legal support to City departments and City staff. 

Both the Chief Assistant City Attorney and City Attorney perform all of the traditional legal duties found in municipal legal operations such as, but not limited to:

• Ability to act as Acting City Attorney when part-time elected City Attorney is not available.
• Perform legal research; review and apply laws, rules, cases and ordinances; and prepare opinions on various legal issues.
• Proactively identify legal risks and develop strategies to reduce and manage those risks.
• Coordinate and supervise the work of outside counsel engaged by the City for special legal issues and litigation matters.
• Negotiate and draft and/or approve contract forms, complex contracts, deeds, leases and other legal documents and instruments.
• Prepare complex and routine opinions; advise City Council and staff regarding proposed courses of action and City policy.
• Represent the City at various City Council, board, and commissions meetings and in court as assigned, and render legal advice on agenda items.
• Represent the City in civil and some criminal matters in both state and federal courts and in administrative proceedings.
• Supervise, train and evaluate assigned staff attorneys and support staff.

Chief Assistant City Attorney

Executive, Operational and Strategic Partnership

The Chief Assistant City Attorney also manages the responsibilities outlined in the Assistant City Attorney and additionally handles the most complex legal issues in partnership with the City Manager and in support of the part-time elected City Attorney. The Chief Assistant City Attorney acts as a key advisor and strategic partner to the City Manager, and at times the City Council. The Chief Assistant City Attorney functions with a high level of executive level autonomy and independence.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidates will bring legal municipal expertise, a passion for public service, and a commitment to advancing the best interests of our community. This individual will play a pivotal role in providing sound legal counsel to City officials, ensuring compliance with municipal laws, and contributing to the overall success of our City’s operations.  Top contenders will also be skillful at analyzing and preparing a wide variety of complex legal documents. 

• Legal Expertise - Strategic and forward-thinking legal advisor who can operate at a high-level to provide advice and counsel on municipal operations. Strong understanding of public sector legal issues. Excellent at legal research, analysis, and writing.

• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex legal concepts clearly and persuasively. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders. Resourceful at building collaborative solutions and negotiating with diverse stakeholders to find positive solutions.

• Ethical & Strong Work Ethic - High ethical standards and a commitment to integrity.  Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines and to move matters to resolution. A proactive and results-oriented approach to legal issues.

• Collaborative, Communicator and Politically Astute - Cooperative and collaborative relationship builder. Creative problem solver. Excellent communication skills with the ability to concisely and effectively explain complex legal issues in lay terms. Astute political sense, without being politically aligned.

• Commitment to Public Service - A deep commitment to serving the public and enhancing the quality of life in our community.  Ability to balance legal responsibilities with the strategic goals of the city.  Dedication to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment.

We invite qualified candidates who are passionate about public service and eager to make a meaningful impact on our community to apply for this rewarding opportunity. The ideal candidate will be energetic, self-motivated, dependable, results-oriented, and highly ethical leader with a proven track record for providing excellent and practical legal advice on a range of municipal law topics in both advisory and litigation roles. 

In addition, the ideal candidate will meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school
• Active Membership in the State Bar of California.
• Valid California driver’s license, AND
• Experience:
  • Deputy City Attorney I: No minimum municipal legal experience necessary
  • Deputy City Attorney II: 2 years of progressively responsible experience in municipal law.
  • Assistant City Attorney: 6 years of progressively responsible experience in municipal law.
  • Chief Assistant City Attorney: 8 years of progressively responsible experience in municipal law plus 2 years of responsible management and administrative experience.

SEARCH SCHEDULE

This position is open until filled with a first resume review date of Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Preliminary interviews – in person preferred: Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Finalist interview with City Manager’s Office – in person: Wednesday, October 23, 2024

These dates have been confirmed, it is recommended that you plan your calendar accordingly.