Deputy City Attorney (Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit)

JOB
The San Diego City Attorney's Office protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego’s elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City’s prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, by holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 180 lawyers and approximately 230 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego.The Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit of the San Diego City Attorney’s Office is conducting a recruitment to fill a Deputy City Attorney position. Reporting directly to the City Attorney, the ACE Unit pursues public interest causes of action on behalf of the People of the State of California under the Unfair Competition Law. The Unit enforces laws that protect consumers, employees, and the environment, and advocates for change when existing laws fall short. Through its own litigation and by collaborating with others inside and outside of government, the ACE Unit protects public health and safety, restores environmental quality, and sustains economic vitality. Examples of recent matters handled by the ACE Unit are a first-in-the-nation misclassification action against Instacart, resulting in over $40 million in restitution for affected drivers; joint prosecution with the California Attorney general and the city attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles against Uber and Lyft for driver misclassification; and litigation against Monsanto for the costs of PCB cleanup, resulting in a $572 million settlement, among others.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Deputies in the ACE Unit routinely: Propound discovery to target defendants and reviewing responses Supervise the work of paralegals, investigators, and other professionals Prepare and review drafts of motions, supporting evidence, and pleadings Take and defend depositions Appear regularly in state and federal court Present updates on sensitive litigation matters and providing confidential legal counsel to San Diego’s Mayor and members of the City Council in closed session Cooperate and coordinate with other public agencies in joint investigations and litigation Perform other litigation work as assigned

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Work-life balance is important to us! The City Attorney's Office generally supports remote teleworking and the position may allow for a hybrid schedule with a mix of in-office and remote work after the introductory and probationary period. Please refer to the Office's teleworking policy. Compensation and Benefits: The successful candidate’s annual salary is based on the Deputy City Attorney salary table and dependent on qualifications and level of relevant legal experience. For further salary information, refer to the Deputy City Attorney Salary Table.In addition to a competitive salary, the City of San Diego offers a comprehensive benefits package including: Participation in the City's Flexible Benefits Plan, which offers several optional benefit plans or a taxable cash option.$50,000 in City-paid life insurance.Flexible Spending Accounts.Paid annual leave (paid time off) accruing at 22 days per year for the 1st through 15th year of service.San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System (SDCERS) defined benefit (pension) plan.Voluntary Defined Contribution Plans (401(k)/457(b)).Retiree Medical Trust Plan.Holidays – Eleven (11) paid holidays are provided annually and one (1) Floating Holiday in a fiscal year.Long-Term Disability Income Plan.Eleven paid holidays annually and one floating holiday (paid time off) each fiscal year.Other Miscellaneous Benefits: Free MTS transit pass.City-awarded discretionary leave (paid time off).Up to 8 weeks of paid Parental Leave.Paid time off for jury duty. Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave each fiscal year.Professional Development Reimbursement up to $2,000 for the cost of professional tuition, publications, and equipment purchases each fiscal year.Employee Assistance Program.To learn more about all the employee benefits, please review the Benefits Summary for DCAA Employees. Some benefits currently offered to employees may be modified in the future. For further information, please contact the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-6600. Retirement benefits for this unclassified position depend on the candidate's eligible status (new hire, rehire, etc.). Pre-Employment Requirements: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this job, which may include but are not limited to the following: Proof of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States. Reference checks. Fingerprint checks: fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Additional screening processes such as a background investigation. All these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. Misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. The City of San Diego is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace. How to Apply: The San Diego City Attorney’s Office accepts online applications. To apply, select the position title of the job opportunity and click the "Apply" link. If you need assistance, please refer to our online employment application guide: To be considered for this position, applicants will need to submit the following by the closing date: San Diego City Attorney employment application, including supplemental questions.Cover letter and resume. A writing sample (no more than 5 pages; can be an excerpt of a document) that demonstrates their legal writing skills and reflects their own original work product. Following the closing date, resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. If a job has an extended deadline, applications will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached. The interview process may be used to fill additional, future vacancies.Individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. If an applicant has questions or concerns related to the recruitment process or needs accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, contact (619) 533-5811. The City of San Diego has an active Equal Opportunity/ADA Program for employment and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: The San Diego City Attorney's Office is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It is vitally important to the Office that as public servants, we represent the community we serve. To that end, the Office strongly encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply. In furtherance of the Office’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Office has an active Committee for Diversity & Inclusion and Racial Equity Task Force.