Deputy City Attorney (Civil Litigation Division, General Litigation Unit) at Armenian Bar

JOB INFORMATION
See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.
The protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego’s elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City’s prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, by holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 175 lawyers and approximately 220 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego.
The of the San Diego City Attorney’s Office is seeking applications from
attorneys who are interested in a position as a Deputy City Attorney in the . This position reports directly to a Chief Deputy City Attorney and is responsible for a broad range of duties including prosecuting or defending civil lawsuits in which the City is a party.
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Duties for the General Litigation Unit position may include defending the City in the following
types of cases:
• Police false arrest and excessive force.
• Personal injury, property damage, dangerous conditions, and motor vehicle accidents.
• Constitutional claims, including inverse condemnation.
• Legal challenges to City ordinances, resolutions, and policies, as well as cases challenging the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Brown Act, and the California Public Records Act.
• Handling matters pertaining to writs and appeals.
• Preparing pleadings for trials, hearings, discovery, and other legal proceedings.
• Representing the City and its officers and employees in their official capacities in trial.
• Presenting recommendations to the City Council in Closed Session.
• Performing other work as assigned.
Deputy City Attorneys must become familiar with City operations to identify and address legal issues in a proactive manner, and continually manage and adjust their workload to accommodate changing needs and priorities of City staff.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Applicants are required to:
• Be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California and if selected for the position, must promptly apply for admission to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, if not already admitted to that court.
• Possess at least 5 years of litigation experience in municipal law.
• Have been lead counsel in one or more jury trials.
Ideal candidates will have experience preparing cases for hearings and trials in all courts or can otherwise demonstrate the skills necessary for this position. Experience with all pretrial phases of litigation including discovery, depositions of parties and experts, trial preparation, and strong research, legal writing and oral presentation skills will also be considered for the position.
Attorneys in this position must be able to travel to locations outside the office for legal proceedings or meetings. Therefore, possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license and personal vehicle, or the ability to travel to various locations throughout the City in a timely manner, is required.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement : All candidates for employment must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of their full vaccination or have been approved for a medical or religious exemption from the vaccination requirement, and have been provided an accommodation, before their start date . “Fully vaccinated” means a person has received, at least 14 days prior, either the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series or a single dose COVID-19 vaccine. Acceptable COVID-19 vaccines must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or authorized for emergency use by the FDA or the World Health Organization.
Exemption Requests: Candidates with a disability or medical condition that makes it medically inadvisable for them to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, as verified by their health care provider, or those with a sincerely held religious belief, observance, or practice that prevents them from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, may request an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement and reasonable accommodation. Candidates who wish to make a such a request will be provided with more information. The City will review requests for medical and religious exemption and accommodation on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. A candidate’s start date may be adjusted to allow for the accommodation process. You may request a medical or religious exemption from the vaccination requirement, and an accommodation, by sending an email to [email protected] indicating your desire to make such a request.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Work-life balance is important to us! The City Attorney’s Office generally supports remote teleworking and the position may allow for a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-office and remote work after the introductory and probationary period. Please refer to the Office’s teleworking policy.
Compensation and Benefits:
The successful candidate’s annual salary is based on the Deputy City Attorney salary table and dependent on qualifications and level of relevant legal experience . For further salary information, refer to the .
NOTE: An additional 2% general wage increase will be effective January 1, 2023.
In addition to a competitive salary, the City of San Diego offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
• Participation in the City’s Flexible Benefits Plan which offers several optional benefit plans or a taxable cash option;
• $50,000 in City-paid life insurance;
• Paid annual leave accruing at 22 days per year for the 1st through 15th year of service;
• Retirement – San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS) defined benefits plans;
• Voluntary Defined Contribution Plans;
• Retiree Medical Trust Plan;
• Holidays – Ten (10) paid holidays are provided annually and one (1) Floating Holiday in a fiscal year.
Other Miscellaneous Benefits:
• City Awarded Discretionary Leave;
• Parental Leave – Up to 4 weeks of paid leave;
• Jury Duty – Paid time off to serve as a juror in Court;
• Bereavement Leave – Up to 40 hours of paid leave each fiscal year;
• Tuition Reimbursement up to $2,000 for the cost of professional tuition and equipment purchases per each fiscal year;
• Employee Assistance Program
To learn more about all the employee benefits, please review the . Some benefits currently offered to employees may be modified in the future.
For further information, please contact the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-6600. Retirement benefits for this unclassified position depend on the candidate’s eligible status (new hire, rehire, etc.).
Pre-Employment Requirements:
Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this job, which may include but are not limited to the following:
• Reference checks.
• Proof of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States.
• Fingerprint checks: fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report.
• Medical evaluation: A City medical examination including drug/alcohol screening and documentation of medical history may be conducted following a conditional offer of employment or promotion.
• Certain positions may require additional screening processes that may include a polygraph examination and/or background investigation.
All of these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test for alcohol, illegal drugs, including marijuana, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, misrepresentation,