Director of Legal Affairs - Municipal Affairs Division

Full Job Description

We are currently seeking to fill the Director of Legal Affairs position in the Municipal Affairs Division of the City Attorney’s Office.

Candidates must be licensed and in good standing with the State of Michigan BarAssociation.

The Director of Legal Affairs will be responsible for the leadership of Assistant City Attorneys and administrative staff.

The work will involve management oversight of municipal activities, Board Counsel for various economic and community development boards, advising on a variety of municipal finance mechanisms, provide consultation on statutes impacting municipal operations, as well asadvising most City departments within the organization regarding municipal issues that arise.

This is an advanced professional legal position in which the director of a legal division serves as the lead attorney and primary manager over the daily affairs of a division in the City's Law Department.

The position involves the direct management and oversight of legal services specifically as they relate to the respective division's functions (litigation, enforcement and municipal law).

It is expected that an employee serving in the director's role over one of these divisions will have complete management responsibilities and serve as the lead attorney for handling legal matters.

The director will oversee all cases of the division and ensure that complex legal issues are handled professionally.

The position has the responsibility and authority to provide guidance and daily supervision of the operations for the division.

Supervisory duties include, but are not limited to, the oversight of the professional legal staff to provide direction in their ability to properly handle cases, projects, legal communications, presentations and other related duties consistent with the Law Department's functions; responsibility for making regular work assignments; administration of employee performance reviews, counseling and coaching guidance when needed; facilitation of employee professional development training opportunities; ensuring that staff implement LEAN initiatives involving the legal services provided by the division.

The director is also expected to assist with cost estimates and the department's budgetary process as needed.This position operates with a great deal of decision-making autonomy and discretion to fulfill these responsibilities.

Work is performed under the authority of the City Attorney. Supervision of the position is exercised through periodic meetings and reports to the City Attorney or Deputy City Attorney.

Requirements

• Graduation from law school

• Possession of a license to practice law in the State of Michigan.

-AND-

• Four (4) years of experience in the practice of law, including experience in trial work

-OR-

• Any equivariant combination of training and experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Three (3) years of experience serving in a leadership or management role over professional legal staff.

• Six (6) years of experience with at least 3 years of municipal law and supervising other attorneys

Additional Information

We Offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision starting on Day 1
• 6% employee 401a contribution with employer matching (6% or 7% based on bargaining unit)
• Employee & Employer contributions to Retiree Health Savings Account
• Voluntary benefits such as term life insurance, flexible spending accounts, accidental insurance, disability insurance, and deferred compensation plan options
• Twelve Paid Holidays
• Paid Vacation and Sick Time
• Paid parking (if applicable)
• Employee Home Ownership Incentive
• Tuition Reimbursement and professional development opportunities
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program with free mental health counseling
• Comprehensive Wellness program with a health and wellness incentive
• Employee Discounts and Perks

Should an applicant need any disability related accommodation or other consideration in the application or selection process, please notify the human resources department upon submittal of application

The City of Grand Rapids does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Please Note:
This position is subject to the provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement and all relevant civil service rules. For additional information, links to union agreement and Civil Service Rules are provided below.

Collective Bargaining Agreements

Civil Service Rules