Job Description

General Overview of Position

This vacancy may be filled as either an Assistant City Attorney I or an Assistant City Attorney II based on the successful candidate\'s level of experience.

City Attorney I salary range: $78,660 - $117,336
City Attorney II salary range: $88,812 - $132,420
Located along beautiful Lake Michigan in the heart of Kenosha\'s downtown, the Assistant City Attorney responsibilities include enforcing City ordinances; drafting ordinances, resolutions and other legal documents; representing the City in the Courts and before administrative bodies; defending liability claims; providing legal advice to elected and appointed officials; and attending Council, committee meetings and meetings of City boards, commissions, authorities and special committees. Work is reviewed through observation and written reports upon completion of assignments for results obtained. Performs other work as requested or assigned by the City Attorney.

Example of Duties & Responsibilities

Assistant City Attorney I or II

• Provides advice and counsel on the legality, enforceability, financial impact and exposure, and public policy implications of proposed municipal legislation.
• Provides oral and written opinions regarding the interpretation and application of City ordinances, resolutions, policies and procedures, state statutes, case law and administrative codes, and federal law, case law and agency rules and regulations related to all aspects of municipal law, real estate, zoning, land use and development, employment, elections, bankruptcy, real and personal property taxation, aviation, privacy, city operations, contracts and agreements, including assessment of the risks and financial exposure to the City for non-compliance.
• Analyzes, interprets and applies City ordinances, polices and procedures on routine basis on a variety of issues affecting the effective administration of City government and the application and enforcement of the Code of General Ordinances.
• Drafts and reviews contracts, leases and agreements in a variety of areas affecting the operation of City government and the public interest. Examples of the contracts, leases and agreements include: lender services agreements, waste disposal contracts, equipment purchase contracts, raze contracts, real estate purchase and sale contracts, easements and maintenance agreements for public improvements, right-of-way acquisition agreements, clinical affiliation agreements, airport hangar leases, parking lot leases, cell tower leases, leases of City owned property and facilities and requests for proposals to solicit third party services.
• Reviews, evaluates and makes recommendations to deny or compromise claims against the City by third parties, conduct negotiations.
• Prosecutes municipal ordinances and traffic violations.
• Commences and defends the City and its officers in a wide variety of contested and litigated matters in municipal, state and federal court, administrative and quasi-judicial tribunals. The matters include suits to collect delinquent personal property taxes, defense of suits for negligence, defense of suits challenging the validity and constitutionality of City ordinances, defense of personal injury and property damage claims, defense of real estate tax assessment litigation, enforcement of building code, zoning and licensing violations, defense of City in cases involving review of discretionary decisions by the Common Council in contract, licensing and real estate development matters, and defense of City in public records litigation.
• Represents the City and its officers in contested and litigated matters requiring ongoing analysis of the benefits and risks associated with each matter with a view to maximizing value and results for the City while minimizing risk and financial exposure.
• Provides advice and recommendations to City Administration, Departments and Common Council regarding contract interpretation, applicability and enforcement.
• Provides advice and recommendations to staff on a wide variety of matters affecting daily operations of the City.
• Interacts, coordinates and builds interdepartmental relationships on ongoing basis to facilitate efficient handling of interdepartmental projects and responsibilities.
• Analyzes, interprets and applies public records and open meetings law provisions to City operations.
• Provides advice regarding issues involving parliamentary procedure.
• Responds to and address elected official inquiries regarding matters proposed and pending before the Common Council.
• Meets/confers with fellow attorneys to discuss legal issues.
• Performs legal research and review recent caselaw.
• Monitors and participates in Municipal Attorneys Listserve.
• Reviews hearing procedures with Kenosha Housing Authority Department.
• Conducts In-Service Training for Kenosha Police Officers.
• Reviews and drafts requests for Special Inspection Warrants to allow Inspectors to enter the premises to conduct searches.
• Reviews, drafts and revises the City of Kenosha Bond Schedule for Municipal Court which establishes the base forfeitures, costs and surcharges for ordinance and traffic violations.
• Provides legal support for interdepartmental teams such as the Site Plan Committee.

Additional Assistant City Attorney II

• Drafts ordinances and resolutions and provides advice on the interpretation and application and public policy implications if adopted. Attend City committee and Common Council meetings when requested to address interpretation, application and public policy implications of proposed ordinances and resolutions, contracts and agreements.
• Negotiates and reviews contracts, leases and agreements in a variety of areas affecting the operation of City government and the public interest varying in value from hundreds of thousands of dollars to several hundred million dollars with similar exposure to the City if not skillfully negotiated and drafted to minimize or eliminate liability and financial exposure to the City by requiring proper levels of insurance coverages and indemnification provisions.
• Provides advice at open and closed sessions of City committees, boards, commissions, authorities and Common Council on a wide variety of matters within their respective jurisdictions.
• Provides advice regarding election issues.
• Provides advice regarding employment issues.
• Provides advice and participates in regularly scheduled interdepartmental meetings to address planning and development issues affecting the City.
• Meets and confers with Kenosha Police Department to discuss and draft police policies and procedures.
• May have supervisory responsibility

NOTE: The duties listed above are intended as illustrations of the various types of work performed by persons in positions covered by this classification specification. This list is not all inclusive. The omission of a particular job duty does not mean that the duty is not one of the essential functions of the position. Management reserves the right to assign employees in this classification to duties not listed above, if the duties are fairly within the scope of responsibilities applicable to the level of work performed by employees in positions covered by this classification specification. This classification specification does not create an employment contract between the City and the employee and is subject to change by the City as the needs of the City and the department change over time.

Requirements

Assistant City Attorney I
Education, Training and Experience Requirements:

• Graduation from an accredited law school with a LLB or JD degree;
• Membership in good standing in the Wisconsin Bar Association;

Assistant City Attorney II
Education, Training and Experience Requirements:

• Graduation from an accredited law school with a LLB or JD degree;
• Membership in good standing in the Wisconsin Bar Association;
• 3 years Municipal law experience
• Or an equivalent combination of training and experience may also be considered.

Assistant City Attorney I/II Knowledge, Skill, and Ability Requirements:

• Knowledge of Wisconsin State Statutes, City Code of General Ordinances, City Zoning Ordinance, City Charter Ordinances and Wisconsin Administrative Code.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of civil law, pleading techniques and court practices.
• Knowledge of judicial procedures and the rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of the principal methods, materials and practices of legal research and investigation.
• Ability to establish effective public relations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with city departments, agencies and the court system.
• Ability to write clearly and concisely.
• Skill in the presentation of cases before trial courts, administrative bodies and appellate courts.
• Skill in the presentation of arguments before legislative bodies.
• Ability to handle reasonably necessary stress.

Additional Knowledge, Skills and Ability Desired:

• Three years of experience as a Municipal Attorney
• Significant practical trial experience.
• Knowledge of the City Code of General Ordinances and the City Zoning Ordinance.

Physical Requirements:

• Task is essentially sedentary, with occasional walking, bending, light to medium lifting, or other restricted physical activities.

Environmental Requirements:

• Task is regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

Sensory Requirements:

• Task requires sound perception and discrimination.
• Task requires visual perception and discrimination.
• Task requires oral communications ability.

Other Requirements:

• Possession of a valid driver\'s license and a good driving record.
• May be required to provide a personal vehicle for use on the job.

Method of Selection

Selection of qualified applicants will be based upon a rating of their training, experience and work record. The selection process may include written and/or oral examinations. Appointment will be made in accordance with City policy and the Civil Service Ordinance and Rules and Regulations. The City reserves the right to evaluate only those applicants who best meet the needs of the City.

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