Litigation - Investigator

Full Job Description

***INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY***

The Office of Corporation Counsel (OCC) provides legal services to the City and County through its three main divisions.

First, OCC represents the City, County agencies, and City-County employees in litigation, handling a diverse docket that ranges from tort and contract matters to constitutional law.

Second, through its counseling division, OCC provides legal advice to City and County agencies, officials, and oversight bodies to ensure that public entities remain compliant with the law and standards of ethical conduct, to safeguard public funds, and to promote the efficient functioning of local government for Marion County taxpayers.

OCC’s third division is the Office of the City Prosecutor, which is responsible for enforcing City-County ordinances.

OCC also oversees the Office of Equal Opportunity, which administers the City’s human rights ordinance, protecting against discrimination in employment and other contexts.

In exercising these crucial legal functions, OCC cultivates a productive, collaborative, and compliant work environment that prioritizes the needs of our clients and the residents of Indianapolis and Marion County.

The position of investigator is responsible for conducting investigations related to City liability, accident reports, damage to City property, and lawsuits filed against the City or County.

This position is a part of the litigation division in the Office of Corporation Counsel. The position requires some knowledge of the relevant state and local laws governing governmental liability.

Independent judgment is utilized.

All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We value diversity in perspectives and experiences among colleagues and the residents of this city of whom we serve.

Requirements

Based on assignments received from the chief litigation counsel, the position holder investigates tort claims and other sources of potential City liability and conducts preliminary review of new cases to determine the nature of the underlying incident.

This work involves close scrutiny of accident reports, interviewing relevant witnesses, obtaining other background information from client agencies, and making recommendations to the litigation division concerning courses of action.

Significant responsibilities may include: 

• Acting as liaison between Office of Corporation Counsel, the involved governmental client, and the claimant in a tort claim. 
• Gathering written documentation concerning the incident involved in the tort claim notice, i.e. accident reports, police reports, employee statements, evidence of damages, etc. 
• Locating and interviewing witnesses and persons involved in incidents and developing line of questioning to determine and verifying the nature of incidents and extent of damages. 
• Maintaining detailed matter records for all claims and other investigations, including all materials received from the claimant, all evidence gathered from the client or third-party sources, and all correspondence.
• Assisting legal advisors in obtaining formal depositions of witnesses as required. 
• Reporting to the scene of an incident that may give rise to City-County liability as appropriate to examine evidence relating to the case; identifying and directing the collection of physical evidence and data. 
• Serving as OCC’s liaison with claims adjusters or other third-party service providers related to investigations. 
• Analyzing information and data obtained during investigation to assist in identification of the party or parties at fault for an incident that may give rise to liability. 
• Preparing summaries of case findings and recommendations for action and for presentation to supervisor or supervisor’s designee for approval.
• Assisting in the implementation of follow-up action related to recommendations, including service of summonses or subpoenas as needed. 

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or associate’s degree.
• Three (3) years previous experience in a related profession, including but not limited to insurance, law enforcement or code enforcement.
• Valid Indiana driver’s license. 
• Ability to write professional-level memoranda.

Preferred Job Requirements and Qualifications

• Certification or accreditation in a relevant field. 
• Work experience in federal, state, or local government, particularly within Marion County. 
• Familiarity with the Indiana Tort Claims Act and other core legal principles concerning government liability. 
• Professional knowledge of investigative methods and procedures.