Deputy City Attorney

Description:

Job Summary:
Under the direction of the City Attorney, the Deputy City Attorney provides a wide range of professional legal services for the City of Fairbanks. Duties include providing legal guidance for City officials and departments, prosecuting misdemeanors and minor offenses, drafting contracts, and representing the City in arbitration and labor negotiations. This position may provide technical or functional supervision to clerical staff.
All Legal Department employees are subject to appointment and dismissal by the City Attorney.
Essential Functions:

• Represent the City in various legal matters, including labor negotiations and arbitrations, state and federal court cases, appeals, and administrative hearings.
• Perform legal research and prepare opinions on various legal issues.
• Prepare and draft ordinances, resolutions, administrative policies, contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal documents.
• Interpret and apply laws, court decisions, ordinances, and other legal sources in advising City departments on legal matters.
• Prosecute City misdemeanors and minor offenses, including appeals.
• Respond to citizen complaints and requests for information.
• Represent the City in the community and at professional meetings as required.

Other Functions:

• Represent the Legal Department on various committees.
• Represent the City Attorney at various board and commission meetings and at City Council meetings when necessary.
• Investigate claims and complaints by or against the City and recommend action to be taken.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Candidates should have a functional knowledge of:

• Legal principles of civil, criminal, constitutional, municipal, and administrative law.
• Judicial procedures and rules of evidence.
• Legal research methods.
• Proper English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Legal office work, procedures, terminology, documents, and computer programs.
• Candidates should have the ability to:
• Communicate effectively in person, on the telephone, and in writing.
• Work independently, recognize priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Perform essential functions of the position with a minimum of supervision.
• Organize, interpret, and apply legal principles and knowledge to legal problems.
• Conduct research on legal problems and prepare sound legal opinions.
• Effectively represent the City in court and in administrative hearings.
• Follow instructions, policies, procedures, and exercise good judgement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education: J. D. Degree from an accredited law school
• Licenses: Licensed to practice law in the State of Alaska* and membership in the Alaska Bar Association**.

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