Description:
This position provides legal counsel to the City of Amarillo under the direction of the City Attorney and the Deputy City Attorney.Essential Responsibilities:
- Represents the City in both court and administrative proceedings.
- Stays abreast of current procedural and evidentiary requirements.
- Maintains a tickler system on cases to keep files moving through trial and appellate levels.
- Researches legal requirements of each case to ascertain all possible defenses and theories of recovery while processing case at intake.
- Interviews and keeps track of witnesses.
- Conducts discovery.
- Prepares and effectively presents motions and briefs.
- Conducts trials, appeals and hearings.
- Advises employees, board members, and City Councilmembers on legal rights and duties and practical responsibilities.
- Stays abreast of general knowledge on duties and responsibilities of client departments.
- Treats clients and citizens with respect and dignity.
- Researches legal requirements of each problem to the extent necessary to provide legal and practical advice.
- Gives opinions when requested.
- Gives unsolicited advice only when necessary to avoid problems (pro-active).
- Attends meetings, including evenings, as needed.
- Prepares documents of various kinds.
- Prepares pleadings, court dockets, contracts, assignments, deeds, releases, ordinances, resolutions, proclamations and opinions.
- Examines proposed contracts, purchase orders, bid awards, and other documents.
- Assists, trains, and substitutes for Attorneys in Municipal Court, as needed.
- To effectively handle workload, must be well organized and efficient.
- Maintains a project list with priorities for each project.
- Schedules daily activities according to priorities.
- Maintains flexibility of activities to accommodate unexpected demands.
- Maintains confidentiality of activities -- does not discuss business with others.
- Provides legal services on weekends and evenings as needed by the Police Department, Emergency Management, Risk Management, or other departments.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ability to operate computers for data entry and word processing.
- Ability to operate highly technical computer applications, such as GIS or CAD.
- Strong verbal and written communication skill.
- Ability to operate small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
Minimum Requirements:
Requires a Doctor of Jurisprudence from an accredited school of law and licensed to practice law in the State of Texas (in good standing) and admitted or eligible for admission to U.S. Northern District of Texas & 5th Circuit, with five years of experience in District Court trials and Appellate courts. Valid Texas Driver's License required.
