This position provides legal counsel to the City of Amarillo under the direction of the 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 Council on legal rights and duties and practical responsibilities.
• Stays abreast of general knowledge on duties and responsibilities of client departments.
• Treats clients 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 types.
• 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.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Requires a Doctorate 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. The ideal candidate will have experience as in-house government counsel on a variety of municipal topics, including but not limited to, planning and zoning, code enforcement, economic development, employment, finance, Open Meetings Act, Public Information Act, and the Texas Tort Claims Act.

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.

ADA PROFILE

Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.  The employee must also walk, stand, sit, hear, reach, speak, see, and talk. Also requires the ability to make rational decisions and perform repetitive motions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The employee works in a dynamic environment that requires being sensitive to change and responsive to changing goals, priorities, and needs.