DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY III - ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION

City Attorney

Exempt | Location: Civic Center

Annual Salary

$163,887.00 - $239,618.00

contact information

Human Resources
2139787160
atty.recruit@lacity.org

job description

About Us
The Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney is one of the nation's largest municipal law offices. With over 1,000 legal professionals, including 500 attorneys, the Office provides the City with the highest caliber legal services, ranging from prosecuting criminal misdemeanors, playing a leading role in criminal justice reform, advising on homelessness initiatives, defending civil lawsuits and claims, and bringing civil enforcement actions in the name of the People of the State of California.

Guided by an overarching commitment to integrity, accountability and transparency, we find great meaning in the work we do and the services we provide.
We seek collaborative team players who understand that fulfilling our mission is key to making a positive impact.

Description
There is an immediate opening for a Deputy City Attorney in the Environmental Division of the Real Estate Branch for attorneys with environmental litigation and/or transactional experience with knowledge of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), environmental contamination, hazardous waste, hazardous materials assessment and remediation, and the Coastal Act.

As one of several teams within the Real Estate Branch, the Environmental Division handles litigation covering a wide variety of environmental matters, including, but not limited to, CEQA, NEPA, hazardous waste, hazardous materials assessment and remediation, and the Coastal Act. The Division also advises City departments and officials on local, state and federal environmental matters, drafts reports and ordinances, staffs’ public meetings, and provides Brown Act advice to elected and appointed officials. The Division negotiates significant environmental litigation and transactional matters, including those related to the transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous materials and hazardous waste, new legislation, regulations or development approvals, environmental matters affecting the acquisition, development, construction, financing, leasing and/or disposition of City property.

Duties and Responsibilities
The attorney assigned to this position will primarily participate in and/or handle litigation, draft ordinances, and advise City staff, officials and consultants on environmental and transactional matters involving environmental issues. This includes matters related to the appropriate CEQA and/or NEPA clearance and process for the approval of City projects; the transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous materials and hazardous waste; environmental matters affecting the acquisition, development, construction, financing, leasing and/or disposition of City property; and new legislation, regulations or development approvals. The new hire will work closely with other attorneys and support staff in the Environmental Division.

Requirements
• Minimum three years of legal practice that includes demonstrated courtroom and litigation experience; experience with environmental law and a working knowledge of CEQA is highly desired.
• Knowledge of and working experience with state and federal environmental statutes, including but not limited to CEQA, NEPA, Brown Act, Coastal Act, and CERCLA is highly desired.
• Licensed to practice law in all courts in the State of California and the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
• Strong legal, analytical, written & oral communication, advocacy, and problem-solving skills; demonstrated ability to work across divisions and departments.

How to apply

Requirements for Application

Cover Letter
Resume
Candidates are required to submit two recent writing samples personally composed, one of which should be a persuasive writing sample.

https://cityattorney.lacity.gov/careers

exempt employment

If employment is said to be exempt, it is meant that the employment is exempted from the civil service provisions of the City Charter. In order to receive a regular civil service appointment, employees must have successfully participated in a civil service examination, received a high enough score on the examination to be placed on and receive an appointment from an eligible list, and they must serve a probationary period. Exempt employees do not compete in a civil service examination, they are not placed on an eligible list and receive an appointment from that list, nor do they serve a probationary period. As a result, exempt employees do not have what is referred to as a “property interest” in their job. Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority and can be terminated at any time without cause. Employees with a property interest in their job, i.e. civil service employees, cannot be deprived of their employment(discharged or suspended) without due process.

General Information About Exempt Employment

Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority, and as such, they may be discharged, suspended or otherwise disciplined without cause. Exempt employees have no property interest in their employment, and any procedural benefit or other prerogative extended to them by their appointing authority is not intended to create and does not create any such property interest. No officer or employee of the City may make to any other officer or employee any representation of a property interest in employment which does not correspond to Charter provisions unless the City Council, by ordinance, permits such representation. No unauthorized representation can serve as the basis of an employee's reliance on, or expectation of, a property interest.

Employees Seeking To Become Civil Service Employees

There is no protective leave for an exempt employee appointed to a civil service position. Upon receiving a civil service appointment and passing probation, the former exempt employee will be subject to the Civil Service provisions described in Article X of the City Charter. Upon appointment, the civil service employee will begin to accrue displacement and layoff seniority on the first day of his/her civil service appointment and may file for promotional examinations for which s/he qualifies. A full or half-time exempt employee appointed to a full or half-time civil service position continues to: contribute to the Retirement System; accrue vacation time; accrue sick time; receive anniversary date salary increases; and, receive health and dental benefits identical to those received in the civil service position.

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