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Assistant City Attorney | Contracts & Utilities | Civil Division

Seattle, United States

Position Description

With more than 200 attorneys and professional staff, the Seattle City Attorney’s Office is one of the largest law offices in Seattle and is the third-largest public law office in the state. Our office is committed to making Seattle a safe, healthy, empowered, and thriving community for everyone. We strive to address historical injustices within the court system with self-examination and to pursue justice in Seattle with integrity, creativity, and fairness. We believe working transparently, innovatively, and in collaboration with our partners in the community is necessary to achieve outcomes that promote equity, accountability, and healing.

Are you an attorney interested in working with other skilled and collaborative attorneys and legal staff to meet the interesting and diverse legal needs of The City of Seattle? The Seattle City Attorney’s Office is seeking qualified candidates for an Assistant City Attorney position in the Contracts & Utilities Section of the Civil Division.

The Civil Division is organized into seven practice areas, or sections. The Contracts and Utilities Section advises all City Departments and elected officials regarding municipal contracts, municipal finance and bond issuances, real estate transactions, utilities, and general business matters of the City. Attorneys in this Section provide legal services and advice at all stages of contract procurement, formulation, implementation, and enforcement, as well as representing and defending the City in litigation related to such transactions. The Section also provides general counsel services to the City’s electric, water, wastewater, and solid waste utilities. This position will perform specialized attorney tasks critical to providing legal services for the City.

In addition to this opportunity to join a team that is dedicated to public service and that works collaboratively together, the City Attorney’s Office offers a generous benefits program that includes paid leave benefits, paid parental and family leave, low-cost health benefits, and the opportunity to participate in a defined benefit retirement program.

Job Responsibilities

Review, draft, and in some cases negotiate contracts and advise on complex transactions for a variety of City departments on projects that may include real estate transactions, insurance, public works construction, procurement of goods and services (including technology resources), municipal finance, levy programs, federal grants, human services contracts, agreements to carry out a variety of City funding programs to address education support, racial equity, homelessness, and other public purposes, consulting services agreements, and provision of municipal utility services.
Provide general transactional and day-to-day legal advice regarding municipal contract matters, including procurement processes, risk matters, public funding requirements, drafting issues, and contract disputes.
Identify legal issues that require collaboration with attorneys in other practice areas of the office.
Review, draft, and advise on legislation and policy matters presented by elected and non-elected officials.
Represent the City in litigation stemming from contract and transactional matters (including construction disputes), utility business operations, real property, and intellectual property.
Carry out job duties in a manner that is consistent with the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Qualifications

Successful performance of the above-described responsibilities requires:

Two or more years of experience practicing law or a combination of legal experience and relevant experience in municipal contracting matters,
Effective legal written and oral communication,
The ability to work effectively with City department representatives and other attorneys, and
Ability to handle complex assignments independently and a variety of tasks simultaneously.

Additionally, the most successful candidates will have one or more of the following:

Expertise in one or more of the following areas: public works and procurement; utility law; real property transactions; municipal finance; and software and information technology contracts.
Experience in contract and/or property litigation.
Demonstrated relevant government or business experience, such as working in-house at a municipal entity.
Municipal law practice experience, or a demonstrated interest in public service and law practice.
Electric, water, or wastewater utility experience.
The ability to think critically, creatively, and strategically under pressure of tight deadlines.

This position requires membership in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association or licensure in another state, with the ability to complete the process of obtaining membership within two months of offer of employment.

Additional Information

Application Process– For your application to be accepted, you must:

Complete the online City of Seattle Application

(https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle)

Include the following required attachments:

Cover Letter describing your interest in the position.(.pdf, .doc, or .docx format)

Resume detailing your relevant experience. (.pdf, .doc, or .docx format)

Attach a brief, or a portion of a brief (maximum 10 pages) where you were the primary author. (.pdf, .doc, or .docx format)

Application Submission Guidelines – All applicants are required to apply on or before the closing date indicated on the job posting. Applicant inquiries received via email and websites such as Indeed, etc. will not be considered unless the individual has applied to the available position via the Government Jobs site.Note: The required documents listed in the above "Application Process" section must be attached to the application prior to the job closing date indicated to ensure consideration for the application submitted. Please contact the Office of Human Resources on or before the closing date indicated above at Law_HR@Seattle.gov should you need assistance with the online application process.

Race and Social Justice Initiative– The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. We seek individuals who will work toward the goals of the Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Compensation – Salaries of Assistant City Attorneys in the Civil Division of the Seattle City Attorney's Office are based on years of relevant legal experience. For example, the 2025 annual salary is $116,130.72 for someone with up to one year of experience, $160,653.39 for someone with ten years of experience, and $181,282.83 for someone with at least 20 years of experience. The full salary range for this position is $55.61 - $89.50 per hour. Salaries are not subject to negotiation.

Benefits – The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, 12 official holidays and 2 floating holidays, sick, and paid parental leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees. City Attorney’s Office employees also have the opportunity to participate in a defined benefits retirement program. More information about benefits can be found at https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans.

Workplace Environment – Currently, the Seattle City Attorney's Office has a Flexible Work Arrangements Policy. Employees have the option to work a hybrid schedule (3 days in the office, 2 days remote). This is subject to change as circumstances and business needs dictate.

Who may apply – This position is open to all candidates who meet the minimum qualifications.

The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, family or marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, medical condition, pregnancy, or other protected characteristics. The Seattle City Attorney's Office encourages people of all backgrounds to apply.

Questions? Contact our Human Resources team atLAW_HR@seattle.gov.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

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