Assistant Corporation Counsel (Criminal Enforcement & Quality of Life)

Description

We represent Detroit in all civil actions.

Established by the Detroit City Charter, the Law Department is an independent agency that represents the interests of the City of Detroit as a corporate body. The Department is headed by the Corporation Counsel, whose mission is to provide a variety of legal services to the City, its elected officials, departments, agencies, offices, commissions, and boards, as well as its individual employees, in their official capacity.

The Department has dozens of attorneys, specializing in various areas, who provide legal advice, opinions, and counsel clients; defend all legal actions against the City; prosecute violations of State Law and/or City Ordinances on behalf of the people of the City of Detroit; and assist in drafting City ordinances and other legal instruments, including all transactional and contractual documents which would legally bind the city.

Under general supervision, perform routine to difficult professional legal work including handling cases before courts and tribunals, working on transactions involving or affecting the City of Detroit, and preparing legal opinions.

Examples of Duties

• Perform specialized professional legal work in preparation for litigation of civil and criminal ordinance violations at 36th District Court.
• Appear as a Special Assistant Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney on select felony violations and State Law violations.
• Perform research in preparation for trials and hearings and in the resolution of and clarification of legal issues and problems.
• Appear at Detroit Administrative Hearings (DAH) on various blight code violations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree from an American Bar Association-approved institution.
• Trial experience preferred.
• One year of experience in the practice of law including experience in the trial and argument of class before courts or quasi-judicial bodies.

LICENSE, CERTIFICATION, AND OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• License to practice law in the State of Michigan.

EQUIVALENCY

Supplemental Information

Please attach a cover letter, resume with references, and a writing sample.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Excellent interpersonal skills; good writing skills in providing written legal analyses and advice to clients.
• Able to multi-task and prioritize and commit to a participative/team-oriented practice environment.
• The techniques of legal research, particularly as applied to municipal corporation law.
• Court procedures and legal principles and their application.
• Adjudication principles and practices.

SKILL IN:

• Legal research.
• Developing legal arguments and applying legal principles to legal problems.
• Developing legal arguments and applying legal principles to legal problems.
• Effective problem-solving techniques.
• Oral and written communication.

ABILITY TO:

• Analyze and appraise facts, evidence, and precedence.
• Present statements of facts, law, and arguments clearly and logically.
• Problem solves and displays resourcefulness and initiative in handling legal matters.
• Interact effectively with outside agencies and departmental personnel with tact and diplomacy.
• Display judicial temperament and poise.

Candidates considered for placement in this classification may be subject to a Criminal Background Investigation based on the requirements of the position.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to the class. Incumbents may be required to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification. Specific job duties may vary from position to position.

The City of Detroit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No applicant for employment shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other criteria prohibited by City, State, or Federal law.