The City of Berkeley has an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated, well-qualified legal professional with a strong commitment to public service and significant land use experience to join our legal team as Deputy City Attorney III. Under general supervision, the Deputy City Attorney III provides comprehensive legal services for a City department, board, or commission in a distinct area of law. This assignment requires the use of comprehensive and highly specialized and complex legal procedures and involves the drafting of administrative rules and regulations, preparing opinions on questions of law and procedure, drafting administrative documents and contracts, and representing the City in administrative hearings, and before state and federal courts.

The Deputy City Attorney III exercises considerable discretionary judgment in determining the legal, administrative and management strategies in the specialized program area, and may be required to attend night meetings of boards, commissions or the City Council

The ideal candidate will have substantial California land use experience, either developed in-house (city, county, other governmental organization, or for a private company) or in a law firm with strong municipal land use expertise and have knowledge and significant experience, including the ability quickly and effectively to perform at an advanced level, in CEQA/NEPA, the California Planning and Zoning Law, Affordable Housing, and code enforcement. Expertise in handling land use writs in both trial and appellate courts and suits seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as appearing before Planning Commission is expected. Strong working knowledge of municipal law basics, such as the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act and the Public Records Act is desirable.

Typical duties of the Deputy City Attorney III include:

• Confers and advises certain City departments concerning their respective duties, powers, functions and obligations
  
• Researches legal problems and prepares opinions, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, leases, permits and other legal documents
  
• Represents the City in court cases encompassing a wide variety of subject matters, including all phases of pretrial, trial and appellate work
  
• Represents the City in administrative hearings before City boards and commissions, and state and federal agencies
  
• Assists other attorneys in all phases of legal work on more complex litigation
  
• Attends meetings of the City Council, boards, and commissions as requested by the City Attorney
  

Full job description here