DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY II - CONSTRUCTION LAW

job description

Deputy City Attorney II
Construction Law
Los Angeles World Airports
Salary Range: $126,553 - $185,038

About Us
The Los Angeles City Attorney's office 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 of legal services, ranging from prosecuting criminal misdemeanors and 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
The 20 attorneys at the Airport Division act as legal counsel to the Department of Airports, also known as Los Angeles World Airports, and to the Board of Airport Commissioners relating to the three airports owned and operated by the City.

Attorneys in the Division handle representation of the Department of Airports in a wide variety of areas, including lawsuits in state and federal court, and appearances before various administrative bodies such as the Civil Service Commission and the United States and California Departments of Transportation. This representation involves litigation concerning contract and lease disputes, direct condemnation, inverse condemnation, nuisance, personal injury, landlord-tenant disputes, First Amendment rights, and matters involving airport proprietor's rights covering a wide range of issues. Attorneys in the Airport Division also prepare many types of documents including leases, permits, reports, construction contracts, and concession agreements. In addition, a significant portion of the attorneys’ time involves general counselor skills providing advice to various levels of Airport management regarding numerous issues.

Duties and Responsibilities
The selected attorney will be responsible for providing legal advice to the Department of Airports and Board of Airport Commissioners encompassing all phases of the construction contracting process, from bidding and negotiations through contract administration and performance to claims and litigation. Specifically, the selected attorney’s duties will include, without limitation, the following tasks:

• Assist with contract matters including but not limited to construction bidding, and drafting, reviewing and analyzing contract documents such as bid/proposal packages and bonds;
• Enforce provisions of payment and performance bonds;
• Assist in reviewing and processing of construction claims and change orders;
• Assist the Department of Airports in claims avoidance and resolution procedures, insurance, risk management, and bonding requirements;
• Litigation before both state and federal courts and administrative agencies, and alternative dispute resolution, involving various types of performance issues, such as delay, construction defects, cost overruns, design errors, regulatory compliance, and other related claims;
• Defend imposition of stop notices; and
• Assist the Department of Airports on project management issues, including drafting contracts for a variety of airport needs, contract administration and interpretation during performance, negotiations, and documentation of disputes.

Requirements
Applicants for this position must have a license to practice law in the courts of the State of California and the United States District Courts, as applicable. Additional requirements include:
• A minimum of 3 years of construction law experience.
• Candidates should have excellent writing and problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with public officials, non-attorney proprietary department employees, personnel and members of the public; and
• strong oral communication skills.

Requirements for Application
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Writing Sample personally authored in the last two years.
Benefits Offered
Medical, Dental, Vision
? Paid Time Off
Life Insurance
o 13 Yearly Holidays
Disability Insurance
o Vacation
Tax-Advantage Spending Accounts
o Personal Leave
Retirement Plan (LACERS)
o Floating Holidays
Deferred Compensation Plan (457(b))
o Sick Leave
Employee and Family Assistance Program
o Bereavement Leave

Telework
This position may qualify for up to 2 days of telework per week.
Location:

The Airport Division is located at Los Angeles International Airport, One World Way, Room 104, Los Angeles. Position is subject to assignment at any location within the City of Los Angeles.

Probation:
Appointment to this exempt position (non Civil-Service) will be subject to a two (2) year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the two (2) year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.
Classification
Internal applicants: Placement in this position will be as a lateral transfer with the selected candidate assuming the position in their current classification.

Conflict of Interest
This position is designated as Category 1 on the Conflict of Interest Code.

Contact
Questions? Please email atty.recruit@lacity.org .

How to apply

Application and Deadline

Interested candidates should go to: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacityattorney/ to apply online.

Qualified applicants will be invited to interview. Position will remain open until filled.

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.

Closing Date/Time: 6/25/25

• 

• City of Los Angeles

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