job openings

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.

POSITION: The Chief of the Criminal Branch oversees the operations of all of the divisions and units in the Branch which currently include the Prosecution Division, Filing, Diversion and Compliance Division, Managing Operations Division and the Regulatory Prosecution Division.

SECTION: The mission of the Criminal Branch of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is to protect our communities and victims of crime by advancing public safety and procedural fairness through the transparent, consistent, balanced, and ethical exercise of our prosecutorial duties in a manner that promotes personal accountability and fair, equitable, effective, and innovative solutions to address criminal behavior within the City of Los Angeles.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: At the direction of the City Attorney, the Criminal Branch Chief’s duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

? Managing the overall operations of the Branch, including ensuring the appropriate supervision by the Branch’s managing attorneys in the prosecution of cases referred to the Office;

? Interacting directly with Office Executive Management, Division Head

Deputies, City leadership and City departments on matters being handled by the Branch;

? Developing and implementing policies and initiatives that reflect the Office’s goals for its criminal practice, with a strong emphasis on establishing an appropriate balance between traditional prosecutions and neighborhood-based crime control strategies, and alternative diversion and justice reform programs;

? Overseeing and assuring the coordination of programs and completion of goals between all the units in the Branch including through training, technology and communication;

? Mentoring, evaluating, and counseling attorneys and staff on issues impacting their performance;

? Preparing reports, statistics, surveys and budgetary recommendations concerning workload, legislation, personnel, equipment, facilities and/or significant accomplishments;

? Implementing strategies and projects at the direction of the City Attorney;

? Advising the City Attorney of all significant cases, activities and issues;

? Establishing the Branch’s staffing priorities and assisting in the preparation of the annual budget; and

? Collaborating with other units of the Office to assure ethical, consistent, integrated advice and practices.

QUALIFICATIONS: The following qualifications are required:

? Licensed to practice law in all courts in the state of California;

? Minimum of 15 years practicing law, with 10 of those years as a prosecutor and 5 years as a supervising/managing attorney;

? Experience with the Branch’s operations, including administration, criminal filing, pre-trial, jury trials and appeals;

? An understanding of and interest in the development of alternatives to prosecution;

? Strong organizational and problem solving skills, the ability to prioritize, and to concurrently complete multiple assignments;

? Ability to manage through delegation;

? Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills;

? Experience in handling personnel matters, hiring and staffing; and

? Experience in working cooperatively with law enforcement, community-based organizations, community members, and City agencies.

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.

PROBATION: Appointment to these exempt positions (non-Civil-Service) will be subject to a two (2) year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the two (2) year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This position is designated in Category 1 of the Conflict of Interest Code.