City Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

City of Roswell, Georgia

JOB DESCRIPTION

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations 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 actually written out in this job descriptio

Department: Administration

FLSA Status: Exempt

Job Code: A099

JOB SUMMARY

The purpose of this classification is to provide professional legal assistance to City officials and staff. The position is responsible for researching legal matters, attending committee and board meetings and providing legal advice, managing litigation, drafting ordinances, resolving employment issues, reviewing contracts, leases and other legal documents, and performing related professional and administrative tasks as required. The position works under general supervision, independently developing work methods and sequences.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Directs the daily operations of the Legal Division; supervises division staff, including assigning and reviewing work, maintaining standards, coordinating activities, allocating personnel, acting on employee problems, evaluating performance, and implementing employee discipline and discharge as appropriate.
• Prepares, recommends and manages approved division budget; prepares related reports.
• Serves as a legal advisor to City Administrator, Mayor, City Council, department heads and staff on their respective powers, duties, functions and obligations.
• Attends Council, board and committee meetings as requested to provide legal opinions, discussion or comment as necessary.
• Studies, interprets and applies statutes, ordinances, court decisions and legal opinions in the preparation of opinions, pleadings and briefs.
• Attends hearings and administrative proceedings to represent the City’s interests as required.
• Drafts or reviews proposed legislation, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, agreements, leases, easements, requests for proposals, memorandums, letters, legal opinions and other legal instruments.
• Oversees all litigation and other potential legal matters involving the City, City personnel and City services.
• Oversees Risk Management for City of Roswell.
• Oversees City Prosecutor and Municipal Court staff
• Supervises alcoholic beverage licensing within the City.
• Responds to and resolves citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Gathers information to support periodic and special reports documenting activities in areas of responsibility.
• Maintains knowledge of current laws, regulations, pending legislation and trends affecting division operations.
• Performs administrative/clerical functions such as maintaining records and documentation, preparing routine and special reports, entering and retrieving computer data, and preparing spreadsheets.
• Operates computers and general office equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, to include the use of word processing, spreadsheet, database or other system software.
• Attends staff, committee and other professional meetings to exchange information; attends professional workshops, seminars or conferences to improve professional skills.
• Performs other related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONSEducation and Experience:

Requires a Juris Doctorate degree supplemented by eight (8) years of related experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Licenses or Certifications:

• Must possess and maintain valid State Bar of Georgia Law License, with membership in good standing to practice law in all Georgia Courts.

Special Requirements:

• None

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of pertinent federal, state, county and municipal laws and regulations; current principles and practices of public law; organization, duties, powers, limitations and authority of municipal government and the City Attorney’s Office.
• Knowledge of legal principles and practices, including civil, criminal, constitutional and administrative law and procedure.
• Knowledge of methods and techniques of legal research; established precedents and sources of legal reference applicable to City activities.
• Knowledge of organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of programs, policies and operational needs.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of public agency administration.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of budget preparation and administration.
• Knowledge of modern office practices and technology.
• Knowledge of principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation.
• Skill with communication, negotiation and public relations.
• Ability to organize, interpret and apply legal principles and knowledge to complex legal problems; effectively apply legal knowledge and principles in court; and present statements of law, fact and arguments clearly and logically.
• Ability to conduct research on complex legal problems and prepare sound legal opinions; interpret and make decisions in accordance with laws, regulations and policies.
• Ability to analyze complex problems, evaluate alternatives, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
• Ability to select, train, supervise and evaluate the performance of assigned staff; perform duties under the pressure of very high expectations for exemplary and non-erring leadership, management and professionalism.
• Ability to represent the City effectively in meetings with others and make formal presentations to various groups.
• Ability to prepare and administer a budget.
• Ability to synthesize, hypothesize and/or theorize concerning data and/or information involving modification of existing policies, strategies and/or methods to meet unique or unusual conditions. Requires the ability to do so within the context of existing organizational theories and management principles.
• Ability to function in a director capacity for a major organizational unit requiring significant internal and external interaction.
• Ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Ability to use synthesis data and information, as well as reference, descriptive, design, advisory and consulting data and information as applicable.
• Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, and ratios; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or legal thinking to implement both intellectual and practical relationships. Involves responsibility for consideration and analysis of complex organization problems of major functions.
• Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in critical and/or unexpected situations involving moderate risk to the organization.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is sedentary to light which requires the ability to exert light physical effort, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station. Tasks also require the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

The City has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.

The City of Roswell, Georgia commits to a policy of equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees, complying with local, state and federal laws. The City’s policy is to employ qualified persons without discrimination regarding race, creed, color, religion, age, sex, country of national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, political affiliation, ethnicity, or status in any other group protected by federal/state/local law.