Data is as of 6/15/2025.
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City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

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City Attorney
FLSA: Executives/1 EEO Category: (10) Official/Adm
Class Code: 11535 Salary Grade: E00
Approved: Last Revised: February 26, 2025

Purpose:
 

With nominal direction, this position directs legal activities for the City of Austin, this position serves as the attorney and legal advisor for the Mayor and City Council, City Manager, departments, and boards and commissions, and plans and develops legal programs for municipal activities.
Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:
  Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
  1. Represents the City in litigation and legal proceedings.
  2. Reviews and presents legal opinions, legal advice and counsel to the Mayor and City Council, City Manager, department heads, officers, boards and commissions, and other City staff in their official capacities, on municipal activities to ensure compliance with the City Charter, Local, State, and Federal laws.
  3. Drafts, approves, and files legal opinions or objections to each ordinance before City Council action; provides legal advice; ensures compliance with applicable laws and regulations; and maintains first-hand knowledge of policies.
  4. Conducts legal research, drafts, reviews, and approves all documents, contracts, and legal instruments in which the City may have an interest.
  5. Negotiates legal problems and recommends resolutions with interest groups, vendors, customers of the City, the general public, stakeholders, partners, and officials of the court.
  6. Reads and reviews statutes, case law, legal opinions, and other documents to maintain knowledge of local, state, and federal legislation and jurisprudence affecting municipal operations, programs, and activities.
  7. Advises, prepares, and approves resolutions for Mayor and City Council.
  8. Attracts, hires, develops, and retains legal talent and manages and coordinates external legal counsel to strategically represent the City in various legal transactions and proceedings.
  9. Monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of legal service delivery methods and procedures; assesses and monitors law department workload, budget, administrative and support systems; identifies opportunities for improvement; and directs the implementation of changes.
  10. Coordinates and maintains departmental activities and relationships with Mayor and City Council offices, City departments, and outside agencies and organizations. Develops and implements plans to effectively and proactively identify and resolve problems for the City.
Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:
 

Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
  • Knowledge of municipal, civil and criminal law, judicial procedure, and rules of evidence.
  • Knowledge of principles and methods of legal research.
  • Knowledge of municipal codes and applicable State laws and Federal statutes.
  • Knowledge of legal references and limitations.
  • Knowledge of municipal organization and City Manager government.
  • Knowledge of municipal budgeting.
  • Knowledge of personnel hiring, performance evaluation, disciplinary action, and termination.
  • Knowledge of the purposes and functions of governmental agencies, boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies.
  • Skill in analyzing facts, legal commitment and impact, precedent, organizing information and interpreting and applying legal principles to complex legal issues.
  • Skill in preparing and presenting written and oral legal opinions, advice, and counsel.
  • Skill in developing and approving ordinances, resolutions, policies, contracts, and other legal instruments.
  • Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the Mayor and City Council, court officials, attorneys, interest groups, vendors, customers, City employees, stakeholders, partners, and the public.
  • Skill in evaluating alternative courses of action and providing recommendations.
Minimum Qualifications:
 
  • Graduation from an accredited law school, plus seven years of experience as an attorney, including five (5) years of municipal experience, two (2) of which were in an upper management legal capacity.
  • Shall have practiced law in the State of Texas for at least five (5) years immediately preceding appointment.
Licenses and Certifications Required:
 

Admission to the Bar of the State of Texas and member in good standing with the Texas State Bar.

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty required of the position given this title and shall not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of management to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The listing of duties and responsibilities shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.