Deputy City Attorney II/III

The Division handles civil appeals and writs arising out of litigation in a variety of areas.  While this could include any case in which the City or its employees are sued, typical cases include the dangerous condition of public property, state and federal civil rights laws, including defending the City and police officers against claims of false arrest and excessive force, employment law, municipal law, constitutional law, City contracts, public health law, land use, real property, and housing law, and the California Public Records Act.  

The Division represents the City and occasionally the People of the State of California in affirmative litigation and as amicus curiae in appeals that touch on areas of law with potential impact on the City and on issues of state-wide and nation-wide importance. The Division occasionally advises the City Council on legal issues.  The attorneys in this Division practice primarily in the California Court of Appeal for the Second District and the Ninth Circuit, and occasionally the United States and California Supreme Courts.  The attorneys hired for these positions in the Division will also advise and assist the City’s trial attorneys in significant pre- and post-trial motions, including motions for summary judgment, motions for new trial and motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict.  

The selected attorney will be responsible for: 

• Handling writs and appeals on behalf of the City and its individual employees in federal and state appellate courts, including drafting all briefs and appearing at oral argument; 
• Drafting dispositive pre- and post-trial motions in civil litigation matters, reviewing trial documents and providing procedural and substantive research and advice to trial attorneys, particularly in connection with the police, employment, and dangerous condition cases;
• Preparing regular written reports and updates on the status of pending matters to the Executive Office;
• Attending mediations and settlement conferences; 
• Attending City Council hearings related to appeals handled by the Division; 
• Participating in the Office’s risk management efforts; and,
• Other related duties as assigned. 

• Must have a license to practice law in all of the courts in the State of California;
• Five or more years of practice, with primary focus on appellate practice or law and motion practice; 
• Demonstrated high level of skill in legal research, writing and analysis; 
• Excellent oral advocacy skills; 
• Demonstrated ability to regularly and carefully read, review and analyze large records, including reporter’s transcripts in excess of 1,000 pages and multiple volumes of court documents.

Desirable Qualifications

• The primary qualifications for this position are excellent legal research and writing skills and a serious interest in full-time appellate and law and motion work. 
• Prior appellate work is preferred, and we encourage candidates to include examples of appellate brief(s) among their writing samples. 
• Previous experience and background in government tort liability and immunities; dangerous condition of public property; 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and federal and state civil rights law; employment law; and the California Public Records Act.  
• Admission to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Requirements for Application 

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Candidates are required to submit two writing samples personally composed by the applicant in the past two years.

Current Location

City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles. Position is subject to assignment at any location of the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney. 

Work Location and Parking

This position requires regular onsite work. Employer-provided parking is limited and may not be available for this classification. Employees may be responsible for securing and paying for parking at nearby facilities.

Applicants are encouraged to review available commute and transportation resources through the City’s COMMUTEwell program. For more information, please visit: https://lacommutewell.com. 

Probation

Appointment to this exempt position (non Civil-Service) will be subject to a two year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the two-year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

Classification

For internal applicants only – Placement in this position will initially be as a lateral transfer with the selected candidate assuming the position in their current classification. 

Retirement Benefits

Employees participate in the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS), which includes mandatory employee pension contributions through payroll deduction. The City also contributes toward the employee’s retirement benefit. Contribution rates are established by the applicable retirement system and may

vary based on employee classification, membership status, and other factors. For more information, please visit: https://www.lacers.org. 

Application and Deadline

Interested candidates should go to: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacityattorney/ to apply online.

Conflict-of-Interest

This position is designated as Category 1 on the Conflict-of-Interest Code. 

Contact

Questions? Please email [email protected].