Senior Assistant City Attorney

General Statement of Job

Essential Functions

• Provides timely, practical, and impartial legal advice to City departments, elected officials, advisory boards, and staff to support lawful, effective, and transparent municipal governance.

• Drafts, reviews, negotiates, and revises a wide variety of legal instruments, including ordinances, resolutions, contracts, interlocal agreements, procurement and bid documents, easements, leases, and real estate conveyances.
• Advises on land use, zoning, code enforcement, development entitlements, and the interpretation and application of the City Code, including support for Development Services.
• Represents the City in civil litigation, administrative hearings, quasi-judicial proceedings, and appeals; responsibilities include case evaluation, discovery, trial preparation, settlement negotiations, and coordination with outside counsel where appropriate.
• Prepares formal legal opinions, internal memoranda, risk assessments, and policy guidance on a broad array of municipal issues, including public ethics, Sunshine Law, public records, charter interpretation, and constitutional compliance.
• Attends City Council meetings, advisory board meetings, and public workshops to provide real-time legal counsel, support legislative development, and advise on procedural matters.
• Monitors changes in federal, state, and local law; conducts complex legal research to ensure the City’s actions, policies, and procedures remain compliant with current legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Collaborates with City leadership to proactively identify, assess, and resolve legal and regulatory issues that impact municipal operations, public infrastructure, capital projects, procurement, and employee matters.
• Supports the development and legal review of City policies, administrative procedures, and strategic initiatives; ensures alignment with applicable law and public accountability standards.
• May mentor or guide legal support staff or junior attorneys, offering feedback and informal supervision on assigned legal work.
• Performs other duties as assigned in furtherance of the mission of the City Attorney’s Office.

• Participates in cross-functional teams, policy development groups, and interdepartmental task forces requiring legal counsel or facilitation.
• Delivers internal training and legal briefings on public records compliance, Sunshine Law, ethics, procurement, and related legal topics.
• Assists with the legal analysis, drafting, or vetting of legislation, charter amendments, or special policy initiatives.
• Responds to legal questions or concerns raised by residents, community stakeholders, or outside agencies, in coordination with the City Attorney.
• Maintains and periodically updates standard legal forms, contract templates, procurement documents, and administrative policies.
• Advises on public meetings, ethics disclosures, and other matters that advance public transparency and good governance.
• Provides legal leadership on projects of citywide significance in support of the City Attorney’s strategic objectives.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of municipal law, including the interpretation and application of the Florida Statutes, Florida Constitution, and City Code of Ordinances.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws impacting municipal governance, including public records (Chapter 119, F.S.), Sunshine Law (Chapter 286, F.S.), ethics (Chapter 112, F.S.), procurement, labor and employment, and land use and zoning laws.
• Civil litigation procedures, including federal civil rights actions (e.g., Section 1983), administrative hearing processes, appellate practice, and evidentiary rules.
• Legal risk management principles and liability mitigation strategies applicable to local government operations.
• Regulatory frameworks and compliance considerations related to development review, public finance, utilities, environmental law, and public infrastructure projects.
• Legal research tools and techniques, including Westlaw and municipal-specific legal resources, as well as statutory and case law analysis relevant to city operations.

• Drafting, reviewing, interpreting, and negotiating a broad range of legal documents, such as contracts, resolutions, ordinances, interlocal agreements, easements, leases, procurement instruments, and memoranda of understanding.
• Conducting nuanced legal research and synthesizing statutory, regulatory, and case law into practical written and verbal legal opinions.
• Representing the City in judicial, quasi-judicial, and administrative proceedings through persuasive advocacy, motion practice, and litigation strategy.
• Communicating complex legal concepts with clarity, diplomacy, and professionalism to elected officials, City staff, and non-legal audiences.
• Managing competing legal priorities and assignments across a dynamic municipal environment while maintaining exceptional attention to detail and meeting deadlines.

• Provide impartial, sound, and strategic legal advice that supports City policy, protects public interests, and facilitates efficient and lawful government operations.
• Analyze legal, regulatory, and procedural issues within a municipal context and recommend legally defensible, politically aware, and publicly transparent solutions.
• Foster trust and collaborative working relationships with elected officials, City leadership, employees, board members, regulatory agencies, and the public.
• Navigate sensitive or high-stakes legal issues with discretion, sound judgment, and adherence to the highest standards of ethics and professional responsibility.
• Support and occasionally lead cross-departmental projects or legal initiatives with citywide impact.
• Adapt to evolving legal requirements and organizational goals in a fast-paced, high-accountability public service environment.

Minimum and Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.

• Member in good standing of The Florida Bar.
• Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible experience practicing law, including at least three (3) years focused on areas relevant to municipal government such as: public sector litigation (including civil rights/§1983 claims); land use and zoning; contracts and procurement; real estate and development review; code enforcement and administrative law; and/or public records and Sunshine Law compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to independently provide legal advice on complex, high-stakes matters involving regulatory compliance, governance, and municipal operations.
• Experience advising public officials or senior administrators in a public agency, particularly in matters involving legal risk management, policy implementation, or regulatory oversight.

• Direct experience advising or representing a municipal or local government agency, including interaction with elected officials, City Council/Commission, advisory boards, or executive leadership.
• Significant subject-matter expertise in one or more of the following areas: public procurement and contracting; interlocal agreements and public-private partnerships; employment and labor law in the public sector; constitutional law, ethics, or public transparency compliance; public infrastructure, construction law, or environmental regulation.
• Board Certification in City, County and Local Government Law by The Florida Bar.
• Advanced understanding of Florida-specific legal frameworks, including: Chapter 286 (Sunshine Law); Chapter 119 (Public Records Act); Chapter 112 (Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees).
• Demonstrated litigation experience in administrative or judicial forums involving local government issues.
• Equivalent combinations of relevant education, experience, and qualifications may be considered.

• Criminal Background Check
• Employment Verification
• Education Verification
• Certification/License Verification

The City of Boca Raton is an Equal Opportunity, Inclusive, Veteran's Preference Employer and Drug Free Workplace. It is the policy of the City of Boca Raton to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.