DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY - DWP DIVISION – CIVIL LITIGATION SECTION

Exempt | Location: Civic Center

Annual Salary

$115,682.00 - $221,386.00

contact information

Human Resources
2139787160
atty.recruit@lacity.org

job description

Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney

Hydee Feldstein Soto

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY

DWP DIVISION – CIVIL LITIGATION SECTION

ANNUAL SALARY RANGE: $115,682 - $221,386

SUMMARY: The City Attorney’s Office offers a range of opportunities for attorneys to work on significant and complex issues. The effectiveness of the City Attorney’s Office depends upon the continued recruitment and hiring of excellent and diverse legal talent. We recognize the need for attorneys of varied backgrounds and skills, and offer an inclusive environment that relies on diverse perspectives to ensure that we effectively serve the people of Los Angeles. We also offer competitive benefits and working arrangements including a telework program.

POSITION: Litigation attorney in its Civil Litigation (Tort) Section.

SECTION: The DWP Division serves as counsel to the Department of Water & Power (DWP), its officers and employees, and the Board of Water & Power Commissioners. The Civil Litigation (Tort) Section representing the DWP in it civil liability claims and litigation. The practice is active, interesting, and includes a large variety of civil liability claims and cases.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The primary duties of this position will include the aggressively defending the DWP, its officers, employees, and Board members regarding civil liability (tort) claims and litigation; advising and representing the DWP and its personnel on procedures to reduce claim and litigation exposure, and handling collection matters on behalf of the DWP involving damages to its property and reimbursable expenditures.

QUALIFICATIONS: Required qualifications: Applicants for this position must have a license to practice law in all of the courts in the State of California, three years’ experience in civil trial preparation and actual trial experience in the Superior Court (both limited and unlimited jurisdictions), knowledge regarding the California Government Code and its application to public entities; an understanding of claims for damages and claims procedures; and mediation and/or arbitration experience.

The following qualifications are highly desirable:

?Demonstrated extensive research and writing skills;

?Strong oral communication skills;

?Inverse condemnation defense experience;

?Litigation knowledge regarding dangerous condition of public property matters;

?Experience with municipal law;

?Experience in effectively dealing with public officials, departmental personnel and members of the public and,

?Personal injury and property damage defense.

WRITING SAMPLE: Candidates are required to submit a recent writing sample.

PROBATION: Appointment to these exempt positions (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.

COVID-19 VACCINE REQUIREMENT: For candidates seeking initial City employment, in accordance with Los Angeles City Ordinance 187134, information regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements as conditions of employment may be found at: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-0921_ord_187134_8-24-21.pdf.

APPLICATION AND DEADLINE: Attorneys interested in applying should submit in ONE (1) PDF FILE the following documents: cover letter specifying DCA - DWP - CIVIL LITIGATION, resume, and writing sample to atty.recruit@lacity.org

Hiring is ongoing until position is filled.

Selected applicants will be invited to interview.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This position is designated Category 12 on Schedule B of the Conflict of Interest Code.

How to apply

Hiring is ongoing until position is filled.

Selected applicants will be invited to interview.

exempt employment

If employment is said to be exempt, it is meant that the employment is exempted from the civil service provisions of the City Charter. In order to receive a regular civil service appointment, employees must have successfully participated in a civil service examination, received a high enough score on the examination to be placed on and receive an appointment from an eligible list, and they must serve a probationary period. Exempt employees do not compete in a civil service examination, they are not placed on an eligible list and receive an appointment from that list, nor do they serve a probationary period. As a result, exempt employees do not have what is referred to as a “property interest” in their job. Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority and can be terminated at any time without cause. Employees with a property interest in their job, i.e. civil service employees, cannot be deprived of their employment(discharged or suspended) without due process.

General Information About Exempt Employment

Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority, and as such, they may be discharged, suspended or otherwise disciplined without cause. Exempt employees have no property interest in their employment, and any procedural benefit or other prerogative extended to them by their appointing authority is not intended to create and does not create any such property interest. No officer or employee of the City may make to any other officer or employee any representation of a property interest in employment which does not correspond to Charter provisions unless the City Council, by ordinance, permits such representation. No unauthorized representation can serve as the basis of an employee's reliance on, or expectation of, a property interest.

Employees Seeking To Become Civil Service Employees

There is no protective leave for an exempt employee appointed to a civil service position. Upon receiving a civil service appointment and passing probation, the former exempt employee will be subject to the Civil Service provisions described in Article X of the City Charter. Upon appointment, the civil service employee will begin to accrue displacement and layoff seniority on the first day of his/her civil service appointment and may file for promotional examinations for which s/he qualifies. A full or half-time exempt employee appointed to a full or half-time civil service position continues to: contribute to the Retirement System; accrue vacation time; accrue sick time; receive anniversary date salary increases; and, receive health and dental benefits identical to those received in the civil service position.

For candidates seeking initial City employment, in accordance with Los Angeles City Ordinance 187134, information regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements as conditions of employment may be found at: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-0921_ord_187134_8-24-21.pdf.

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